Tragic Rain
by Sailor Janus
Summary: The tragic events of the senshis' world force Deidera to open up her dimensional gates and flee into another world with the only other survivor, Hotaru. Together they must learn to live on without the others in a world that is not their own.
1. Deadly Storm

Tragic Rain Part 1

Deadly Storm

by

Sailor Janus

Disclaimer: I only own Deidera/Sailor Janus and any original characters. The others our property of their own creators/companies.

*Takes place in SM World 3 years after Sailor Stars/AC 199 in GW World.*

Deidera/Sailor Janus is the Senshi of Dimensions. I first introduced her in my story, A Double-Edged Sword. She is from the planet of Janus which is on the outskirts of Pluto. During the Silver Millennium, it was destroyed by Queen Beryl who was granted access to the solar system after Deidera was tricked by her ex, Lord Cacus. She died in the battle and was reborn in a later time like the others. 

Sailor Janus is also known as the two-faced senshi or two-sided. She is everything opposite. Good and Evil. Night and Day. Only her power bracelets, keep her split personalities under control. 

Deidera was manipulated once again by her ex, Lord Cacus who granted her evil personality complete access to her body, ordering her to kill the other senshi. Fortunately, it backfired and everyone was saved.

This takes place two years after that event. The rest shall be explained throughout the story. 

*Warning* This is going to be very violent, gory, and probably disturbing. I have seen the "Last senshi alive" plot many times, and have decided to go a different way, the path that many have never thought of taking. Controversial this shall be.

*~*~*~*

         It was fairly cloudy day out in the city of Juuban on the one Saturday which two teenaged girls would never forget.

         Deidera Doubre and Hotaru Tomoe were both college students at the local university, where the inner senshi were also taking classes. The two outer senshi were just starting while the others were on their second year.

         The burgundy-haired girl sleepily opened her eyes, groaning, as her alarm clock blared in her ear. "I don't want to go class! I'm suffering from arthritis at the age of nineteen!" she whined, covering her head with a puffy white pillow when a wonderful thought suddenly came to her, it was the weekend.

         "Weekend!" Deidera chirped, sitting straight up. "Yes! Finally a break from my endless writing! Of course there are still my three essays left to do, but that's what Sunday evening and three cups of coffee are for." Cheerfully, she hopping out of bed, scampered out of her room and across the hall to her best friend, Hotaru's room.

         Since Deidera's neglectful aunt and last living relative had died, Michiru, Haruka, and Setsuna, had taken it upon themselves to adopt the teenager. Oddly, around the same time, Hotaru's father had passed away as well, pronouncing the adoption of the dark-haired girl into the home of the outer senshi. Strangely it seemed appropriate. 

         "Hotaru!" the green-eyed girl called out knocking on the door before swinging it open revealing a still asleep Hotaru Tomoe lying comfortably in her dark room. "Hey Hotaru! Get up! It's the WEEKEND!" Deidera practically bellowed, startling her friend awake.

         Glaring, the dark-haired teen rubbed her eyes. "I heard you the first time Deidera," she sighed, appearing rather annoyed. 

         "Oops, well, get up! I need to some new clothes and I want you to come with!" the curly-haired teenager sheepishly grinned. "Please?!"

         Sighing, Hotaru crossed her arms nodding, "Okay, if you only promise not to take so long in the bathroom next week and to clean your hair off the floor!" 

         "Oh, um, I guess I shed too much huh? Sorry," Deidera cringed as she agreed. It took a few years, but her hair was finally back to it's original waist length. The only reason why it was short in the first place was because Lord Cacus had the audacity to cut it with his sword during their final battle. Deidera made sure he died for that one. "Um, yeah! I'll do that! Uh, going now!"

         Hotaru nodded as she watched her friend practically prance out of the door before falling back against the bed. Some days, the curly-haired girl had the ability to drive the senshi of destruction up the wall. Unfortunately it appeared this would be one of those days.

*~*~*~*

         "Hey Hotaru! What do you think of these? I don't think they're too break necking I mean neck breaking," Deidera asked her friend, holding up a pair of black knee high boots. 

         "They're fine Deidera," Hotaru answered over her shoulder as she examined a black skirt on a nearby rack. It seemed to go perfectly with her lilac colored v neck sweater. 

         Glancing over her the violet-eyed girl's shoulder, the burgundy-haired teen grinned. "It's you Hotaru! Get it!"

         The senshi of destruction was about to reply when suddenly her communicator went off. Exchanging glances, the two girls dropped the merchandise, and hurried off to a vacant area of the store.

         "Hotaru and Deidera, here," the eighteen year old girl quietly said into the electronic wrist device. What she soon heard, neither of the two girls would forget.

         "Hotaru?! Deidera?! Am I glad we got a hold of you two!" Ami nervously said with pain in her voice as sounds of a fight rang through the background.

         "Ami, what's going on?!" the dark-haired girl exclaimed, as a flash of panic appeared on her face. Her best friend stood eerily quiet, as she intently listened. 

         "There's no time! You two have to come to Rei's temple now! We need help! The others are already here! Please Hur-" Ami cried out before the communicator cut out.

         Hotaru's face paled as she stared at her wrist. "Ami?! Ami!" Thickly, she swallowed as she ran a hand through her shoulder length hair. "We better go."

         "You-you don't think...." Deidera, mumbled, finding her voice once again. Taking a deep breath, she followed the senshi of destruction out of the store. "Rei's, right?"           

         Silently, Hotaru nodded as she dug the car keys out of her purse. 

         "If you want, I'll drive. I-I think I know of a shortcut," the burgundy-haired girl quietly said, wincing as rain began to tumble out of the sky. She hated the rain, it always had bad news to deliver.

         "Okay, but hurry because I have a bad feeling about this!"

*~*~*~*

         "Mercury! WATCH OUT!" Sailor Venus screamed as an energy bolt, soared through the air and smashed into the distracted, blue clad senshi before she even knew what hit her. 

         The blonde, senshi of love, gaped in horror as her friend thrown ten feet away to the ground landing with loud crack to the hard cement.

         The other sailor senshi spun around, stunned at the fatal blow to their young genius friend.  

         Jupiter dropped her jaw at the puddle of red liquid growing around the blue-haired girl's head. Blood. "Ami....no," she whispered realizing that their newest nemesis Malice, a woman with blood red hair, black eyes, and dressed in the long low cut dress with powers beyond the Senshi's imaginations, had fatally murdered one of her best friends. "NOOOOOO!" she screamed, gathering up every ounce of power in her body. "JUPITER......OAK.....EVOLUTION!" 

         Malice only snickered fiendishly, not even fazed by the green-eyed girl's attack as she sharply snapped her fingers. Suddenly, the corpse of Sailor Mercury began to glow a vibrant blue before it faded all together. 

         "She stole Mercury's soul," Pluto quietly said, slightly dropping her head, clutching the time key in her grasp. The senshi of time knew very well that without their souls, they could never be reborn.

         "She-she didn't even have a chance to defend herself!" Eternal Sailor Moon cried out as Tuxedo Kamen gently held her, trying comfort the tear stricken girl he loved the best he could. Sniffling the blonde tried to wipe the blood leaking from a large cut from her face. "How could you?!"

         Malice snarled, "I only take what shall be mine. She was weak anyway, but once I have your souls, that will not matter."

         "You will pay that!" Sailor Uranus snarled as she charged at the woman, "SPACE SWORD BLASTER!" 

         "Vile Dark Sword," The blood red-haired woman summoned as a black sword materialized in her hand. Sinisterly, she stood before the senshi of wind. "Want to play little girl?"

         "Uranus! DON'T!" Sailor Neptune pleaded of the blonde-haired woman who refused to listen. 

         The racecar driver smirked, narrowing her gaze at the woman challenging her, "I don't play, I win."  

         "So you say my dear, but this is one battle you shall fail," Malice cackled as she swung her sword to Uranus's head, which the senshi blocked with her own sword.

         Metal clacking against metal was soon the only sound heard as the senshi watched the battle fuse. They couldn't risk attacking Malice as long as she was fighting Uranus. The risk of hitting the bold woman was too great.

         One would soon fall, unfortunately, it would be their own. 

*~*~*~*

         "Deidera I thought you said you knew of a shortcut!" Hotaru shouted in urgency, as the burgundy-haired girl hit a dead end. 

         "I do! I-I just took a wrong turn, that's all. There is no reason for you to get angry at me!" the green-eyed girl growled as she spun the car around before peeling off down the road. 

         The senshi of destruction pushed a few strands of hair from her face as she shook her head, "Deidera, our friends' lives are at stake! We need to get to Rei's as fast as possible!" 

         "I know!" she said through clenched teeth. Two more minutes. They could not have lost that much time could they?

*~*~*~*

         Uranus finally appeared to have the upper hand, as she spun around apprehending the sword from Malice. "Ha! You were saying?"

         "I guess you proved me wrong. Good game Sailor Uranus," the woman meekly said dropping her head. Suddenly, another sword appeared in her hand and was thrust through the blonde's chest. "Unfortunately, I never follow the rules."

         In shock, Sailor Uranus opened her mouth, only to have blood gush out in a sickening red waterfall.

         "URANUS!" the aqua-haired woman screamed, collapsing to her knees in terror as tears began to flood her blue eyes. 'No she can't die. She can't die. Please no.'

         The other sailor senshi were too stunned to say a word, standing huddled together since all were weak from the fight, which had no effect on the deadly woman. Was this the end for them? 

         Just as Sailors Saturn and Janus arrived, the Senshi of wind collapsed to the ground, dead. 

         "Haruka-papa!" Saturn shouted as she watch the woman glow with a bright yellow light before it dissipated. 

         The burgundy-haired senshi stared dumbfounded at dead woman before raising her eyes to the corpse of Mercury, "Ami."

         "You shall regret taking the lives of Mercury and Uranus," the senshi of destruction darkly said, summoning her silence glaive. "SILENCE GLAIVE SURPRISE!" she shouted, throwing a particularly strong attack to Malice who with a flick of her wrist, sent the attack straight back to the dark-haired sailor senshi smashing into her body, sending the girl skidding to the ground. 

         "SATURN!" the senshi of dimensions screamed, pleading to every higher power that her friend was not dead as she stared in fright at the girl's still body. 'She hasn't moved a single muscle.' Silently, the two-sided senshi bowed her head, allowing her fans to materialize in her shaking hands. Without a single word, Janus joined the silver and gold fans together. "United Fans RADIANCE!" gold and silver beams rushed up to the cold-hearted woman, also reflected the attack back to her. 

         Suddenly, Pluto shoved the girl out of the attack's path, allowing it to fully ram into her body, as Janus tumbled to the ground painfully. 

         Limply, the curly-haired teen lifted her head witnessing, the senshi of time's demise. "No. Pluto!" she croaked out, gagging at the metallic taste of blood in her mouth.

         Trembling, Janus covered her ears as she heard the screams of Mars and Venus fill the air. The blonde had taken a sharp blow to the head, her light colored hair was now glowing with deep red streaks. Blood. Mars....the burgundy-haired girl couldn't even look at the senshi of fire without feeling ill. She had been decapitated, lying in a pool of blood much larger than Mercury's. Soon their bodies too began to glow red and orange before it disappeared. Neptune and Eternal Sailor Moon were screaming with tear soaked sobs embedded in their voices as Sailor Jupiter and Tuxedo Kamen stood guard along side the now fragile senshi.

         'No....I have to do something! Must protect the princess,' the senshi of dimensions' head screamed as she choked at the word. Earnestly the girl tried to climb to her feet.

         Defiantly, Janus stood up, glaring coolly at Malice. "I will not allow you to kill anyone else! You're going down dirt bag! Feel my wrath!" Swiftly, the girl separated her fans, tossing them sharply to her nemesis who in turn caught them before any damage could be done.

         "Lovely try little girl. But not good enough." In a blink of a eye she tossed them back to the teen who had to crash to the ground before being nearly sliced to ribbons by her own weapon, slamming her head, on the pavement. 

         Slowly, Sailor Janus blacked out as shrieks of terror soon became muffled.

*~*~*~*

         A few minutes later, the burgundy-haired girl's eyes fluttered open. Groaning she rolled over, touching her forehead briefly which was slick with blood. "Huh? What happened?" the girl murmured.

         "Deidera."  

         "Setsuna?!" the girl cried out before falling quiet once the woman indicated the need of silence. 

         "Listen very carefully. Everyone else has perished or are about to," the senshi of time paused as Jupiter's screams filled the air. Neptune, Tuxedo Kamen, and Eternal Sailor Moon had already died. "I want you and Hotaru to get out of here. Open up a dimension and leave."

         "Wait, Hotaru is still alive?" Sailor Janus asked her adoptive parent, trying to focus her attention away from the pony-tailed senshi's death, her rib cage being practically ripped out.

         "Yes, she was knocked unconscious. Thanks to the others, Malice was unable to properly kill her in order to steal Hotaru's soul. There is not much time left. You must go."

         Nodding Janus asked the one question she knew she'd regret. "And the others? The Prince?! Princess?!"

         Sadly, the garnet-eyed woman dropped her gaze. "They have died. Even the prince and princess."

         An unsettling feeling filled the girl's body as she turned her head, finding herself gazing sadly at the lifeless corpses of the kind-hearted princess, the brave prince who loved her dearly, and the talented, mother-like violinist. The teenaged girl could barely recognize her prince and princess both were mercifulessly mutilated. It was likely that the dark-haired man had died trying to protect the love of his life, both lay dead in each other's arms. Apparently, Malice wanted to be for certain they were dead. However all the senshi of dimensions wanted to do at the moment was vomit. Aqua hair was scattered in clumps on the ground pronouncing that the Neptune had died from the blade of the same sword that took the life of Uranus. It almost seemed fitting in an eerie context. "No. Michiru?" Sailor Janus whimpered, trying to swallow. "Didn't you know this was going to happen?"

         "No, did you?" Pluto answered as she questioned the girl who weakly shook her head. "Then Malice must have somehow blocked our visions. Please Go! You are running out of time!"

         Shaking, Janus began to climb to her feet as she watched Jupiter's soul being drained. "What about you? I-I can't leave you. It wouldn't be right."

         "I'll distract her and do not even dare argue with me Deidera! Take Hotaru and leave this place! This world has no hope left!" Pluto ordered the girl using her sternest tone of voice possible. 

         Nodding weakly with sad eyes, the girl scampered over to her fallen friend and carefully lifted her up. 'Geez Hotaru. I never thought you'd be this heavy!' Janus thought with a small smile as tears began to flood her jade green eyes. Turning to the senshi of time who was about to confront the sinister woman, she said, "I'll never forget you Setsuna."

         Taking a deep breath, Janus laid Sailor Saturn on the ground as she recalled her dimensional fans. 'Please take us someplace safe,' the girl thought as she stood up. Raising her arms so that the fans joined together, revealing a small triangle of space the girl shouted, "Dimensional Portal Breach!" 

         Suddenly, a glowing portal appeared, Taking another deep breath, Sailor Janus picked her best friend up, and ran through it, refusing to look back as Pluto used her strongest attack, which would very well be her last.

*~*~*~*

         Sailor Janus felt herself falling for what felt like hours when suddenly she detransformed back into her normal form, Deidera Doubre. Glancing down, the burgundy-haired girl discovered that Hotaru was her normal self as well. 

         'I guess this will keep suspicion down, wherever we go,' the teenager thought as tears once again began to fight to surface.  

         In a flash of light, the girl found herself tumbling towards a vacant sidewalk. Luckily, thanks to years of gymnastics as well as martial arts, she landed perfectly still on her feet without dropping her best friend. 

         Blinking, Deidera glanced bewildered around her surroundings which were nothing more than a cold empty street. Just then drops of water began to fall out of the sky. At that moment, it hit her. Gone. Everyone and everything. In one single split second anything of familiarity now ceased to exist. She no longer could feel the essence of her dimension. Malice had destroyed it. Weakly, the curly-haired girl felt her knees quiver before they suddenly gave out. Quietly, she laid Hotaru near her as the rain fell heavier.

         "How appropriate. Rain," she murmured. It was as if the clouds were mocking her. Persuading the girl to let the liquid drops of emotion to fall from her burning eyes. It wasn't as if anyone could actually distinguish the difference between rain water and tear drops, streaking down her face. 

         Pain. Deidera knew what it felt like to lose something dear to her. The bitter taste lingering in her mouth like vinegar which had been doused onto her wounds. She lost love, both to death and her own blindness. For years the green-eyed girl had been moved from relative to relative, country to country, never once feeling as though she had found a home. It was not until after her neglectful aunt died, leaving Deidera an orphan did she ever feel loved. Now that too was gone. Her best friend was all she had left, but how long before Hotaru as well, would be taken away leaving the senshi dimensions to once again wander the world alone?

         Finally, everything rushed her at once, trying to smother the girl with the angst of both her past and present. "Damn it! Damn it! Damn it! DAMN IT! Why, why, why, why, why, why, WHYYYYYYYYY?!" she cried out, feeling as if she were about to hyperventilate. Harshly, the teen pounded her fists on wet cement until she could feel her knuckles bleed.

         Tensely Deidera wrapped her slim arms around her body, as she rocked back and forth, trying to soothe herself. "I'm only happy when it rains. I'm only happy when it's complicated. And though I know you can't appreciate it. I'm only happy when it rains..... I AM MISERABLE WHEN IT RAINS! I hate the rain. I hate the rain. I hate the rain. I. HATE. THE. RRRRRRRAAAAAAAIIIIIIIN!" the curly-haired girl practically screamed at the top of her lungs.  

*~*~*~*

Author's Notes: Wow, that was really emotional. I hope you like the story so far. I am experimenting with the dark side I guess you could say but I believe this will actually be one of my better stories. 

I have actually been working on the plot for sometime and the only word to describe it is dramatic. 

Oh and I do not own Garbage or their song "I'm only happy when it rains." Deidera just needed a song to sing which would cause her to momentarily lose it and I thought this was the most appropriate song available.

By the way, Deidera is the Japanese version of Deidra. I just decided to use the Japanese names for this version.

Next Chapter will be out hopefully sometime next week.


	2. Alone

Tragic Rain Part 2

Alone

by

                                                                                      Sailor Janus

         Deidera wearily opened her eyes and discovered that she was lying on the dirty sidewalk. Lightly she brushed her tangled curls from her face, examining the area carefully. 

         The burgundy-haired girl couldn't feel anything. It was as if her world was empty. The teen remembered clearly the events which took place earlier. Biting her lip she rolled over and sat up, having fallen asleep in the fetal position. 

         To Deidera's relief, Hotaru was still a foot away from her. Drawing her knees close to her chest, the green-eyed young woman frowned, leaning forward as feelings of helplessness filled her head. 'We're in a new world. Now what?' she fatiguely thought with a sigh. "Welcome home."

         Just then the violet-eyed teen began to stir. Groggily she groaned, turning over to her side, slightly scrunching her face up. 'Something is odd. Where am I?' Hotaru thought opening her eyes only to find herself on the sidewalk almost completely drenched. Hesitantly, the dark-haired girl crawled up to her knees, examining the new surroundings. "Where....the fight. Where is everyone? Where are we? Did we-"

         "Hotaru! You're awake!" the green-eyed teen exclaimed with a small amount of sorrow in her voice, practically tackling her best friend in a hug. 

         Wincing with slight pain, the senshi of destruction shoved her friend away. She could tell something was seriously wrong. "Deidera, what happened?  Where are we? Where is everyone?"

         The burgundy-haired girl's face immediately fell at the question, dropping her gaze to her damp black pants. "I don't know where we are. Everyone else died so I teleported us into another dimension."

         Blinking, Hotaru opened her mouth, unsure of what to say. Too much was happening at once. Taking a deep breath, she inquired, "Are you trying to say that we're the only ones left alive?"

         "Yes. Malice destroyed our dimension. The others died.....I couldn't stop her."

         'They died? No, no, no....that can't be....but it is. The Princess. I failed everyone.' Suddenly the dark-haired teen began breathing deeply as a sense of panic took over before she finally collected herself. "Damn you Deidera! What the hell did you do? We should have died along with the others."

         "Hotaru," the other girl tried to plead but was cut short.

         "Just....Leave me alone," the senshi of Saturn muttered, rising to her feet, refusing to even look her best friend in the eye. "I can't believe you did this. What were you thinking?"

         "I was only taking orders. Setsuna wanted us to have a second chance I guess. I don't really know the reason why," Deidera murmured, climbing up on shaky legs. "There's no going back."

         Abruptly, Hotaru turned her back. This was not supposed to happen. She was not supposed to be alive if the others were dead. "Deidera, don't talk to me," the girl whispered, focusing her attention on the street in front of her. 

         "Hotaru. What are we going to do? We have no money, no shelter, no food....we're going to die anyway!" the burgundy-haired girl exclaimed as her jade green eyes growing wide with worry.

         Frowning, the dark-haired girl began walking, leaving the other girl standing in the middle of the sidewalk alone. "Are you coming or not?"

         "Where are we going?" Deidera asked as she jogged up to the senshi of destruction. Abruptly the girl slipped, falling with a splash into a large mud puddle which she was unaware of. "Ugh! This is just...perfect.," the burgundy-haired teen groaned, trying to gather herself off her hands and knees to escape from the freezing, dirty water. 

         Hotaru spun around, discovering what exactly her friend was complaining about. It was rather odd to find the commonly graceful teenager acting klutzy of course slipping and falling into a puddle could happen to anyone. Silently, the violet-eyed teen waited for the girl to pick herself up and regain her diminishing dignity. "Try to be more careful next time."

         Blinking, the poet nodded, flipping her damp locks over a shoulder before adjusting the thin braid of hair crowning her head like a head band. Making a face, Deidera examined her friend's appearance. She knew exactly what Hotaru was thinking. It was a very simple fact that since the senshi of Saturn had failed her duty of protecting the princess, that she wished death. 'Please just don't go suicidal on me. That's the last thing I need.'

         Wordlessly, the two girls walked down the foreign streets. It appeared to be a normal city, but who really knew where they were. No familiar faces, no recognizable landmarks, everything was so new and oddly, frightening. 

         Out of the corner of her eye, the shorter haired young woman noted from a small newspaper display that the year was AC 199. 'Great. Looks like we're going to have a lot more work to do in order to survive here then I previously speculated. I better make a mental note to confiscate Deidera's ID cards,' she decided, violet eyes darting every which way in hopes of finding someplace to dry off and perhaps some food. 'There has got to be one around here somewhere.' 

         With a sigh, the senshi of dimensions checked her watched, amazed that it actually continued ticking rhythmically against her thin wrist. "It's seven," she announced to no one, wishing for perhaps a small amount of comfort in hearing her own soft voice. Unfortunately it did no good. 

         Silently, Hotaru nodded, not really listening to what her talkative friend was saying as she searched the streets for the one building which would be a pleasant surprise. 'We better find it fast, I do not want to be caught on the streets after dark. Who knows what this place is really like?'

         Suddenly rain began to tumble from the sky again. Groaning, Deidera crossed her arms in front of her chest feeling cold water slide down from her hair and face to her neck oozing down her muddy red shirt. "Not again! I hate the rain! Can we please stop the rain because I'm already freezing my ass off!" 

         "Deidera, please try to control yourself. You are making a scene," the dark-haired teen practically ordered, feeling fatigued due to everything that had happened. She had to push all her feelings to the back or risk screaming her head in street and never stopping until someone had to drag her away with a white straight jacket. 

         "Oh, now you are talking to me!" the curly-haired senshi muttered, glaring at her best friend earning an irritated glance from Hotaru.

         "Will you stop acting like such an idiot for one minute?! I am trying to find us a shelter and it would be a lot easier without your insidious whining," the senshi of Saturn hissed through gritted teeth. She didn't mean to sound so cruel but so much was happening at once that Hotaru didn't know exactly how to deal with it. Focusing on finding sanctuary was her only escape, but after they found it then what?

         Deidera threw hurt look at the violet-eyed teen who ignored it. She couldn't help her continuous babbling. It was the only way she could actually keep herself from focusing on the tragedy she and Hotaru narrowly escaped. 

         Finally the senshi of destruction found exactly what she was looking for, pausing abruptly in front of a rundown looking large warehouse-like building. 

         Stopping in her tracks, the poet frowned, cocking her head curiously at the building which seemed to have sparked Hotaru's interest. "A  homeless shelter?" 

         Stepping towards the door, the dark-haired girl nodded. "It's dry, they'll probably give us food, and it's safe."

         With a shrug, Deidera followed her best friend inside finding herself in the last place she could ever imagine walking in. A lot people appeared to be sick, their clothing were no better than rags, and some even smelled really bad. The burgundy-haired college girl felt so horrible that people actually had to live like this. 

         'This cannot be our future. There has to be way to change what appears to be our proposed fate. I can't live like this,'  the green-eyed teen sadly thought with determination. She refused to become another forgotten face on the street. 'We're going to beat the odds.'

         "Deidera, stop staring. It's rude," Hotaru quietly whispered over her shoulder. The long haired senshi didn't even realize that she was staring and suddenly felt very ashamed for doing so.  

         Fortunately, the two teens were out of the storm which seemed to pour harder and harder with each passing minute as the temperature began to significantly drop. 

         Shivering, the green-eyed teen found herself an abandoned corner to huddle in, gratefully accepting a well-worn dark green blanket from a volunteer, wrapping it around her shaking body. 'I need to let my mind go numb. Think about nothing. I can just stay in my safe little haven and let the world fade away,' Deidera thought from under the blanket she was practically hiding in, staring at her dirty black boots as if fascinated by them. It was either that or start screaming as she had done several hours ago. 'Why did it have to happen? Stop thinking about it, Deidera! Just....stop.' Sharply, the senshi of dimensions cut off anything that had happened earlier. Lightly she closed her jade green eyes, and let everything disappear, forcing herself to sleep.

*~*~*~*

         Hotaru leaned against the chipped pale yellow painted wall with a small sigh, dropping her gaze to the dirty floor studying nothing in particular. Briefly she looked up, as friendly girl handed her a raggedy dark blue blanket. 

          Nodding her thanks, The violet-eyed teen turned her attention back on the floor once again. 'How could I have failed? It should have been me, not them. How could I have been so foolish? Blinded by my own sense of revenge, causing me to act mindlessly by challenging Malice. I should have set a plan instead of just charging in! Damn it! Why didn't I stop and think?'

         Without even realizing it, Hotaru slumped down to the ground, throwing the blanket over her shoulders. At least she was a little warmer but even that gave very little comfort. 'I have no one. I'm alone once again.... just like in school, it's my own doing. My own miserable actions brought me this fate. They should not have died. It's my fault and I deserve to suffer for it. If only someone could tell me what to do now?' 

         Lowering her head to her knees, violet eyes studied the small clusters of people gathered around the room. 'I wonder what is going to be next for us,' she thought, swallowing thickly. 'As if that actually matters.'                                     

         Suddenly, Hotaru too fell into a dreamless state, separated from all she knew and wished to forget. There was always tomorrow.

*~*~*~*

Author's Notes: Thank you for the reviews. I'm glad you are enjoying the story so far. 

Yes, this is a crossover and Hotaru and Deidera will meet the GW guys, just not right away. The next chapter I'm expecting, they will have a run in.    

Sorry, about the others dying but it had to happen. I will warn you right now, that both Hotaru and Deidera are pretty traumatized by everyone's deaths and basically loosing everything so their actions, will not always be too well thought out. You'll understand more, the next chapter.


	3. Survival

Tragic Rain Part 3

Survival

by

Sailor Janus

         "Deidera. Deidera, wake up," a soft voice said, shaking the bundle hiding under a worn out green blanket. "You better get up now or else you can forget about breakfast."

         Groaning, the figure concealed by the large green cloth stirred, lazily removing pulling the blanket off her head. Out of blurry green eyes, she managed to make out the person who was speaking to her. "Hotaru? Where are.... the shelter. Damn it. I thought that was nothing more than a bad dream."

         Hotaru quietly shook her head as her best friend loudly yawned. A melancholy look spread over the college student's fair face as she brush a tangle of curls away from her eyes. "They are serving breakfast. You better hurry up or they might not have anything left." Spinning around, the dark-haired girl began walking away.

         "Hotaru? What are we going to do? We can't just stay here forever and truthfully I don't want to. I can't live like this. I don't want to sound selfish but there has to be some other choice."

         Pausing in her steps, the senshi of destruction focused her attention on the pale yellow wall several feet ahead of her. "We will know when the time comes." Hesitantly, she glanced behind her at the rumpled teenager before continuing on to the food line. 

         Gazing sadly at the dirty floor she was sitting on Deidera murmured, "I wish time would hurry up." With a deep sigh, the girl completely threw the blanket off her body cringing at the thought of what  horrible condition her curly locks must be in thanks to the rain and the blanket which rubbed against them in her sleep. 'If anyone calls me a fuzzhead, I'll have to hurt them.' 

*~*~*~*

         'Deidera does have a good point. We can't stay here forever. It's not fair for either of us. Why did she have to save us to begin with? Couldn't we have shared the same fate as the others? No identification, no records, no money, we are non-existent which means we cannot earn money to buy food or shelter. Damn it.' Hotaru thought as she waited patiently in line for breakfast which mainly consisted of oatmeal and coffee. At least it was better than milk. Suddenly the girl's thoughts were interrupted by some very unwanted attention. 

         "Hey, you know, you're pretty cute," a dirty blonde-haired guy said from behind Hotaru, placing a hand on her shoulder which she promptly removed with a glare. Of course the guy was not about to accept a silent no for an answer. A small frown later he grinned, wrapping an arm around Hotaru's shoulders said, "Hey, I have idea doll, why don't we find a corner and get to know one another better?" 

         Taking a deep breath, the young woman grabbed the sleazy teen's arm, and dropping it off her shoulder without saying a single word. This however was only angering him. 

         "Look girl. I don't know if you know who I am around here but I own these streets and you do as I say or else you will not live to see tomorrow!" Roughly he wrapped his right arm around her neck in a choke hold, trying to intimidate the girl. 

         At this moment, Deidera finally stumbled up to the line finding herself witnessing the aggressive harassment of her best friend. "Hey!" she shouted about ready to get involved, but the senshi of destruction managed to handle herself fine.

         A spark flickered in Hotaru's eyes as she firmly grasped the guy's offending hand. Swiftly she threw all her weight forward while still holding his hand, throwing him over her shoulder and into the table containing that morning's breakfast, breaking it on impact. Not a single word left the girl's mouth as she flipped a strand of hair from her face. 

         Deidera's jaw dropped at her friend's performance as several people raced to help the idiot who thought he could make dark-haired girl do has he said. 'Whoa. I've got to remember not annoy Hotaru for a while. Yeesh,' she thought, running up to her best friend. "Nice throw! You sure showed him!"

         Suddenly several volunteers with two men who appeared to be security raced up to the scene. "You two girls and Freddy and his gang, out! We do not tolerate fights here!"

         "But-but he started it!" Deidera stammered, staring at the bulky men in bewilderment who relentlessly shook their heads and pointed at the door. Exchanging glances, Hotaru and Deidera retreated back out into the cold streets without further argument.

                     Frowning, the jade green-eyed college student wrapped her arms her body as the rain began to pour down on them harder. Together they continued down the abandoned streets avoiding various puddles in their paths. Only the crazy or desperate would be out in a storm such as this. "I can't believe you got us kicked out. Now where do we go?"          

         Coolly Hotaru glared at her friend, "The guy was an asshole and could not seem to take a hint. Someone had to teach him a lesson."

         "I don't suppose this city has another shelter."

         "They don't. I checked a phone book and that was the only one," the senshi of Saturn admitted.

         Pausing in the street, a bitter feeling coursed through Deidera's bones. "Oh. Then why the hell did you have to get us kicked out of the only one in this miserable place?!"

         Hotaru abruptly spun around and faced Deidera, violet eyes now burned darkly as an icy glare filled them. "Do not blame this on me. That jerk could not take a hint so as I said, I had to do something. I hate it here just as much as you do and generally speaking, I think we would have been better off dead." Turning on her heel, she began marching away.

         "Hotaru! You totally got us screwed! We're going to die out here anyway!" 

         "Deidera, will you just shut up?"

         Rage filled the senshi of dimension's green eyes as she raced to catch up to the dark-haired girl. Swiftly, she cut off Hotaru off in her aimless wandering, and sharply glared. "Why don't you make me Hotaru?"

         Gritting her teeth, the violet-eyed girl inquired, "Deidera, did you hit your head in your sleep?! What is wrong with you?"

         "I think I should be asking what the hell is wrong with you?! You didn't see what I saw!" 

         "Deidera, get a hold of yourself!"

         Stubbornly the enraged girl shook her head. "Why should I? You have already firmly displayed your extreme dislike towards me."

         Taking a deep breath, Hotaru set her jaw. "I failed. I was supposed to protect them but I failed, their blood forever staining my hands like red velvet gloves. Because of me, I live and they are dead."

         Dropping her head, a guilty feeling filled Deidera. "No. I got us there too late with my stupid shortcut."

         Hotaru froze as her eyes darkened. "That's right." she quietly said narrowing her gaze. "You're the reason why I couldn't stop Malice from killing them!"

         "Hotaru, it happened! We can't change the past. The one that could, died."

         "Don't talk about Setsuna-mama like that," Hotaru growled.

         "Like what?"

         Refusing to remove her burning gaze, Hotaru clenched her fist as she said, "You know exactly what I'm talking about."

         Frowning, Deidera released a breath she was holding. "No I don't. I was not making a derogatory remark if that is what you mean. I would never."

         "Yes, well, you just did," the heat filled Hotaru's cheeks, as she stepped past Deidera, quickening her pace to escape the girl who she once referred to as a friend.

         Watching the dark-haired girl leave, Deidera stomped her foot yelling, "You did not watch them die. I did!"

         Turning on her heel, the senshi of destruction once again faced her former friend. "Why didn't you do anything?"

         "I tried Hotaru! Damn it I tried!" the girl replied, choking on the words as her whole body began to quiver.

         "I saw them die as well. I could feel each of their lives melt away like ice," the dark-haired girl defensively said, with a far off yet pained look in her violet eyes.

         "At least you didn't see their blood staining the concrete. I did."

         "I could see that too."

         Deidera's breath quickened as her frustration began to overwhelm her. "Do you feel you're better than me or something?! Is that it?! Poor little rich girl!"

         "Stop."

         A scoff escape from the burgundy-haired senshi's throat. "Why should I? Are you gonna use your stupid Silence Glaive on me or something?"

         "It's better than your ridiculous fans."

         Deidera felt as though she were on fire, slowly approaching Hotaru who stood her ground. "Take that back Miss 'I can destroy the world but that would be a bad thing."

         Hotaru had an icy feeling coursing through her blood. "Why should I?"

         "I hate you."

         "I hate you too. If it weren't for you I could have saved the others or would have perished along with them which is the proper punishment for failure."

         Rolling her eyes, Deidera muttered, "Not this again. Why are you so hell bent on dying?! Damn you are so depressing! How did I get stuck with you?!"

         "At least my weapon strikes fear in the hearts of enemies. Fans? Ha! Like that would scare anyone!"

         "Shut up, shut up! Just shut up!"

         Raising an eyebrow Hotaru challenged, "What are you going to do? Send me to another dimension? Cut me with your fans?"

         "Don't. Make. Me. Try."

         The two girls bore rage filled glares into each other when suddenly Hotaru glanced away, and grabbed Deidera by the arm as she began walking quickly down the street. 

         "What the hell are you doing?! Let go of me!" the poet shouted, trying to pry her ex-friend's hand off her arm as she was being led through an ally way. Suddenly Hotaru yanked her towards the side of a building. 

         "I would appreciate it if you would keep your voice down when we are being followed," the dark-haired college student whispered, glancing at their surroundings out of the corner of one eye.

         Pouting, Deidera crossed her arms. "You could have warned me first. Is it that guy from the shelter?"

         Nodding Hotaru replied, "I think so. He was really angry at the fact that I wouldn't do as he said. Come on." Silently, she began creeping further down the alley, fully aware of her surroundings. "Shit. They cut us off."

         "Hey! I'm not done you," Freddy menacingly said as the two girls stood their ground. Slowly he approached them with a lanky dark-haired boy at his heels. Both possessed fiendish grins.

         "Funny because you two never got started!" Smirking, Deidera flipped a few damp locks from her face, narrowing her gaze coldly.

         "Shut yo mouth bitch!" the brunette shouted, folding his arms in front of his chest, trying to appear to be tough. 

         Instead the curly-haired girl began to snicker. "Oh we have quite a high intelligence ratio. What is it? Negative 5?"

         "Deidera," Hotaru whispered with a touch of warning to her voice.

         "Oh look the other one can talk after all," Freddy laughed earning a glare in return. 

          "What? What did I do? He deserves it," she replied, slightly shrugging.

         The two guys however were growing aggravated. "That's it! Fuzzball is mine!" With a deadly grin, unfolded his arms and began cracking his knuckles.

         "Fuzzball?! Who the hell are you calling Fuzzball!"

         "Deidera, careful." Hotaru groaned. 'Why can't she shut up?' 

         Giggling Deidera began advancing on the guys. "Aren't I always?" Quickly, she directed her attention back to the hot-headed skinny guy. "You want me baby? Come and get me."

         "Deidera."

         "What? They are asking for it," the senshi of dimensional said in a whisper, a dangerous spark emitted in the jade green eyes.

         "Fine you little slut. Let's go at it if you really insist!" The guy nodded his head, rubbing his hands together. 

         Arching an eyebrow the girl replied, "Do you only know how to say insults? Do you have Tourette's or something?"

         "Deidera."

         "I think kicking some ass well, won't really make me feel any better but hell. It's a start." Slowly the senshi of Janus slinked into fighting stance. 

         'Damn it, Deidera! Did you hit your head or something?' the dark-haired teen thought when suddenly ten more teenaged guys joined their two jerky friends. "Deidera, they have friends and there is only two of us. We are completely outnumbered."

         Bobbing her head, the girl brushed a curl from her face. "So? I have enough rage in me for ten people."

         "You mind is not in the right place. Let's leave."

         "Why should I listen to you, Hotaru? You've expressed extreme dislike towards me ever since we got here!"

         "Deidera, why are you being such an idiot?!" straining her eyes, further past the group of boys she noted at least five more were headed in their direction. "Damn it! Now there are seventeen of them!" Abruptly, she grabbed the burgundy-haired girl's elbow, sternly pulling on it as she raced in the opposite direction. 

         Reluctantly, Deidera allowed herself to be towed along, realizing that perhaps it was not such a great idea to challenge the morons. Swiftly, the girls raced through the maze of buildings in hopes of escaping the group of infuriated boys who were gaining on the them. Unfortunately, one turn later and they found themselves at a dead end. "Shit! Now what?" Deidera exclaimed wincing as the rain poured harder. Suddenly the street gang was slowly advancing on them.

         Hotaru focused her gaze on the group in attempts to hide her fear. She couldn't let them intimidate her but neither Deidera nor herself had fought this many people at once. Slowly the two girls found themselves backing up, as the gang menacingly came nearer.

*~*~*~*~*

         Duo heavily sighed, glaring at the stack of papers on his desk at the Preventer's Headquarters. The paperwork was boring him to death and truthfully he would have had more fun watching paint dry. With a yawn, he turned his attention to the window which over looked the vast alleys behind the building. "Hey, there's some girls," he noted as Hotaru and Deidera sprinted past.

         Just then Trowa and Quatre approached Duo's small office, surprised that the braided-haired teen was not nagging them about being two seconds late for lunch. Instead of finding the ex-02 pilot snoozing in a stack of papers, or singing along to some rock song with a pair of headphones on, they found him staring out the window.

         "What are you doing Duo," the blonde asked, walking towards the teen to see what he found so interesting. 

         "Some girls just ran through the alley," he shrugged in reply.

         Examining the scene himself, Trowa witnessed Freddy's gang race by. "I think those girls might have some trouble. Heero's office probably has a better view."

         Nodding the three teens left the room walking quickly to the Perfect Soldier's office. Oddly his door was opened and the Prussian blue-eyed Preventer was pulling on his jacket. "If that is Freddy's gang, then those two girls are in trouble."

         "How did you....never mind," Duo sighed, unable to believe that Perfect Soldier knew what was going on.

         "The window was leaking," Heero simply said, walking past the other boys. After exchanging glances they decide to follow as well. Who knew what the gang was planning? Whatever it was, it would not be to the girls' best interest.         

*~*~*~*

         "I am going to enjoy this. You don't have to fight, but either way...." Freddy cackled,  as he looked both of the teenaged girls up and down.  

         Deidera thought she was going to vomit on the street by the way this guy was making her skin crawl. She had a faint idea of what they were planning and she knew she'd rather live in sewer, marry the nerdiest guy in school, hell shave her head; anything than what the gang was plotting. "Please tell me you have a plan Hotaru or I'm going to have to live in an insane asylum for the rest of my life because I don't think I'll mental survive what these guys want to do with us. I have a really bad feeling."

         "Calm down Deidera. We'll fight. Don't change because we can't risk it."

        "Okay, any other thoughts?"

         Hotaru stared intensely, getting into fighting stance. "Stay alive." As soon as the words left her mouth, two guys charged at her. Fearlessly, she did a spinning kick, firmly slamming her foot into one guy's face, followed by a sweep, knocking him to the ground. The other tried to grab Hotaru from behind resulting in the redhead being tossed into a stack of trash cans.

         "She wastes no time," the curly-haired teen said under her breath as two guys tried to attack her. A simple jumping front kick to one's jaw and a spinning 360 round kick later and one was on the ground as well. The other guy met his end at a back kick to the jaw, snapping his head back. "Two down, a lot more to go!"

         Suddenly, Freddy grabbed Hotaru from behind, smirking at how helpless the girl appeared to be. Ducking her head to the side, she elbowed the pervert in the face. Immediately he released her, clutching his busted nose just as the girl threw a side kick to gut, promptly doubling the guy over. 

         At that moment, A black-haired low-life yanked roughly on Deidera's long hair, forcing her head back. Growling she side kicked him in the knee, breaking it before kneeing him sharply in the groin. Crying out painfully he collapsed to the ground sobbing.

         "That hurt you asshole!" the poet hissed, glaring darkly at the him before throwing a punch at another attacker, landing it squarely in his jaw, followed by a swift neck chop to his throat, momentarily choking him. One punch to the abdomen later and he too was on the ground.  

         Hotaru threw an elbow jab to one guy's head then a side kick to the kidneys to finish him. At that moment, Deidera spun around only to witness a terrifying sight. "HOTARU! Gun! Behind you!"

         Slowly the senshi of destruction turned around with a steely gaze towards the attempted assassin. Quickly she struck, kicking the gun out of his grasp which flew in the air only to be caught successfully by Deidera. 

         "Okay slimeballs. Leave now before I test how many bullets in here. Comprende?  And no cute stuff!"  the green-eyed girl sharply said, clicking the safety off the weapon, moving her hand making sure they knew she meant business.

         Frowning Hotaru sensed someone pull out another gun from behind her. Like lightening she snatched the weapon from the sandy-blonde's hand, turning it on him, barrel aimed directly to his head. "Are you going to leave?"

         The remaining gang members quickly pulled their unconscious friends off the street and ran away, unsure of who the two girls were but they definitely were strong  and knew exactly how to defend themselves which could result in their own deaths. 

         Soon the sailor senshi found themselves standing alone in the alleyway. "I always figured they were cowards," Deidera shrugged as she and Hotaru unloaded the bullets from the guns before tossing them in a dumpster. 

         "Whoa! Who are they?! They sure cleaned up well!" Duo exclaimed from around the corner of one of the tall buildings where he and his friends witnessed the fight. 

         Suddenly Hotaru spun around, fully aware that they were being watched. "Who's there? Reveal yourselves!" 

         Hesitantly, Duo and Quatre walked out of the shadows followed by Heero and Trowa who appeared to be very skeptical about the two female fighters.

         "Um, are you two ladies all right? We saw your fight and-" the Arabian said only to be cut off by a still defensive Hotaru Tomoe.

         "Who are you and why are you here?"

         Cringing at the girl's cool tone Duo pointed to a white painted building. "Uh, we saw you with those dirt bags from that building over there and thought you might need our help? Guess not." 

         Scoffing Deidera folded her arms in front of her chest. "And why do you suppose we should believe that lame excuse? Thanks but we took out the garbage ourselves and it shouldn't run into us again for a long time." With a flick her hair the burgundy-haired girl and her partner walked away without saying another word, leaving the four teenaged boys standing rather confused in the alley.

         "I wonder where they came from? Both were soaking wet," Quatre quietly said, frowning slightly.

          Stiffly nodding Heero said, "There is something odd about those two."

         "It's almost as if they didn't belong or even understood where they are. They should know better than to roam this part of the city," Trowa agreed.

         Snickering Duo added, "Whoever they are, they sure can kick some ass!"

*~*~*~*

         Slightly shivering Deidera released a sigh as a breeze blew a few curly strands of hair in her face. "That didn't feel as great as I hoped."

         "We still lost everything and nothing can change that. I still don't understand why we had to be the survivors. I guess we'll never know," Hotaru quietly said lowing her head as the rain came down harder. Her dripping hair soon plastered itself to her as the wind whipped it forward. 

         Sadly smiling Deidera inquired, "Any ideas on what to do next?"

         "We will know when the time comes."

*~*~*~*

Author's Notes: I'll bet you didn't expect them to meet the guys that way. If the characters, namely Deidera and Hotaru seem a bit out of character, remember they had just lost everything. Their minds are not in the right places. It's a long road ahead for them.


	4. Lost

Tragic Rain Part 4

Lost

by

Sailor Janus

         Hotaru stared coldly at the falling drops of rain which pounded relentlessly against her motionless skin. It had been several hours since the fight between the street gang and the meeting of the four odd young men. Deidera insisted on taking a break from walking, seeking shelter under tarp-like roof on the outside of a closed antique store. Unfortunately, the wind was causing more harm than good, throwing water on the two already wet teenaged girls. 

         "The rain can stop already," Deidera grumbled from where she was kneeling against the wall. Her pants were still muddy so she could honestly care less about the condition of her clothes. "At least I had my hooded, zip-up sweatshirt, although it's soaked now too. Damn it!"

         "Deidera calm down. I'm wet and cold too."

         "You don't act like it."

         Shrugging, Hotaru replied, "What's the use of whining over something that I can't control?"

         "I'm not whining. I'm just freezing, and shivering and.... fine I'm a whiner and damn proud of it!" Glancing down at her muddy shoes, the burgundy-haired girl sighed in disgust. "Any idea where to go from here? This city seems to be getting worse and worse. Maybe we should have accepted those guys' offer. It'd be better than sitting here. They did seem nice."

         "Looks, can be deceiving. You of all people should know that," the senshi of destruction coolly said, facing into the storm.

         Abruptly, Deidera rose to feet, fury filling her jade green eyes. With one swift move she slapped Hotaru across the face. "Don't ever bring that up again! That was a long time ago and I'm not as foolish as I used to be."

         Narrowing her violet gaze, the dark-haired teen said, "Don't EVER strike me again. I will not hesitate next time to counteract."  

         "You deserved it. You know how much of a touchy subject Lord Cacus is yet you insist on parading my one mistake that I felt eternal guilt for in my face," Deidera growled through gritted teeth. "You were the one who got yourself knocked out against Malice because you charged in, not me! Just let it go."   

         "Will you stop pointing out my failures!"

         "You, brought up mine, Hotaru. Now we are even." The dimensional senshi allowed her green gaze to linger a while longer before turning away, violently shivering. "I'm so cold. We better keep moving."

         Wordlessly, the dark-haired teen nodded, deciding perhaps it was best to let everything go for the moment. 

*~*~*~*

         "Hotaru, I'm so hungry. Did you have to get us kicked out of the shelter before breakfast?" Deidera moaned, feeling as though she were about to pass out. 

         Clenching her teeth, the shorter girl said," It. Was. Not. My. Fault. Got. It?"

         "Okay, sorry. Geez, don't pop a vein, Hotaru."

         "Shut up."

         Walking in silence the burgundy-haired girl's stomach growled. "We still need to find a way to get food though or we will die."

         Stiffly Hotaru nodded as her drenched hair plastered itself to her wet skin. Deidera did have a valuable point but did she really want to continue on living? "Do you have any ideas?"

         "Not a single one," the senshi of dimensions sighed dropping her eyes to the rain slicked sidewalk. Shivering, she gritted her chattering teeth together. Frustatedly, Deidera began rubbed her hands against her crossed arms, trying to warm up, but it did little to help. "Hotaru, we have to get out of this rain. I feel like my whole body is going to go numb from overexposure."

         "How? Even if we find a warm store to browse through for a while, we will still have to leave sooner or later which will make our condition worse."

         Raising an eyebrow the green-eyed teen said, "So you propose we just freeze to death out in the rain rather than find temporary shelter? Hotaru, I hate to say it, but you are extremely screwed up in the head right now. You really want to die don't you."

         "Just forget it. Let's move on."

         "Where the hell are we going to go?! We don't even know where we are! We have no destination and have probably been walking in circles for hours in this cold, rainy WEATHER!"

         The senshi of destruction closed her eyes in annoyance. 'Not again. I am getting so sick of her tantrums.' Taking a deep breath, Hotaru continued on, ignoring her best friend's outburst.                  

         Sighing, Deidera half-heartedly followed, wishing for once that something good could happen to them for a change. Grumbling, she tore her purse open hoping to find some gum, mints, anything that could qualify as food. Digging through a mass of receipts, some makeup and hair junk, she found a chocolate bar in the small black bag. A huge smile appeared across her face as she yanked it out. 'Should I split it with her?' she thought, glancing up at Hotaru who was walking a few feet ahead of her. 'She's probably just as hungry. Why not. We've both been through hell.' Clearing her throat Deidera called out, "Hey Hotaru! I found a candy bar in my purse. Want half?"

         Turning around, Hotaru was amazed to discover the burgundy-haired girl was willingly offering to split the chocolate bar. "You-"

         "Is that a yes or no? Look, I know we've been at each other's throats lately but that doesn't mean I have to be a nasty selfish bitch." Breaking the bar in half she hold out one of the two pieces to her former best friend. "Truce?" 

         Nodding, Hotaru accepted the peace offering. The two girls quietly continued their journey, eating the one piece of food that would have to last them for who knows how long, as slowly as possible. 

         Night was quickly falling and the two college students knew they needed to find shelter fast. Unfortunately there was no safe place to rest so they decided to relocate the small park they had passed several times and went to sleep on the park benches on top of their purses in order to conceal them which was rather uncomfortable, but they had no choice. 

*~*~*~*

         Deidera awoke, with a horrid cough. She knew she was getting sick from the coldness she was constantly swamped in. She also knew Hotaru was in the same state even though she would not admit it. Sitting up, Deidera looked at the bench where the dark-haired girl was sound asleep or so she seemed. 'If we don't find someplace warm in the next few days..... I don't think we'll survive. This endless wet weather is going to kill us.' Shivering, she pulled her knees to her chest, holding her purse close as her teeth began to chatter. 'I refuse to use my powers again. If this is our fate then so be it, but man what sucky way to go.'

         Curled in the tight ball on the hard wooden bench, Hotaru found it impossible to sleep. The only thing on her mind was trying to stay warm but she knew her body heat was quickly diminishing. It was already dawn and the senshi of destruction was practically starving. The chocolate bar did very little good in satisfying her hunger. Gritting her teeth together, she sat up. Glancing over to Deidera, she saw the poet was just as plagued. Taking a deep yet shaky breath, Hotaru rose to her feet, and approached Deidera. "We better get moving or our muscles will freeze up."

         Coughing she replied, "Hotaru, I don't think we're going to last out here. We need to find shelter. The rain isn't letting up and the air is growing increasingly colder. 

         "Come on. We have to go."

         "Hotaru-"

         With a scowl, the dark-haired girl grabbed Deidera by the wrist and practically yanked her to her feet before turning around and headed off. With a sorrowful sigh, the other girl followed.  

         Unfortunately, once again, they found no shelter, no food, and most notably no hope as they quickly became more ill. The seemingly never ending rain was growing thicker as the temperature began to drop. 

         "Damn it. I'm ready to go dumpster diving for food!" Deidera shivered as her stomach grumbled. 

         "No Deidera. It'll probably kill us with a painful infection due to mold from the rain," Hotaru shook her head as the rain fell heavier. 

         "I think my stomach is going to eat me alive. I can't believe that they won't accept our money here! I NEED FOOD DAMN IT!"

         Spinning around the senshi of Saturn practically ordered, "Get. A. Hold. Of. Yourself." 

         Tears of frustration began to sting Deidera's eyes. "I can't do this anymore, Hotaru. I can't take constantly feeling cold, wet, alone, and scared! It's going to kill me! This rain has soaked completely through my clothes and my damn curly hair is straight because it's so saturated!" Throwing her hands up in the air in despair she began venting further. "I am starving to death and fear what is going to happen to us next! Hell we could be struck dead by lightening right now but fate seems to be having a great time making us suffer!" Suddenly she burst out laughing almost manically.

         All Hotaru could do was helpless watch. She had no idea what to do to help her friend. It seemed Deidera was slowly breaking down and truthfully, she couldn't blame her. Finally the violet-eyed teen found her voice. "Deidera, calm down and pull yourself together. We will get through this. Listen to me! DEIDERA!" Frowning, Hotaru carefully walked up the laughing girl and smacked her across the face. "SNAP OUT OF IT!"

         The senshi of dimensions completely froze, ceasing her maddening laughter as her face went completely blank. Dropping her head, Deidera's knees gave out, causing her to fall soundly to the ground, landing on her hands and knees. "Fuck." 

         The princess of Saturn stood a foot away, closing her eyes and the rain began pounding harder and their drenched skin. Her hand stung slightly from when she made contact with her best friend's face but she had to do it even though she hated to. "I'm sorry Deidera. I had to do it," she said in an eerie even tone. 

         Stiffly nodding she whispered, "I know."

         "Think you can walk again? We need to destroy our identification cards, and anything with the year printed on it."

         "Why?" the green-eyed teen softly asked, rising to shaky feet. 

         "Because the year is AC 199 here."

         Deidera blinked in surprise. "You-you mean we were sent forward in time? How? I mean Setsuna-"

         Hotaru quickly began walking at an almost frantic pace upon the mentioning of the senshi of time's name. "No. They renamed the year for some strange reason. I also believe we should try to find the location of a library and do some research."

         Jogging to keep up Deidera nodded, "Well that makes sense, not to mention that we can at least get out of this fucking rain!" Hotaru gave her look worthy of Setsuna, Haruka, and Michiru combined. Sighing she flipped soaking wet strand of hair from her face. "I know, watch the language. I'm just pissed off right now, that's all. Once we are out of this rain, I might feel better."

         Pausing at a dumpster, the dark-haired girl inquired, "Do you still have your pocket knife?"

         Nodding, Deidera took it out of the pocket of her jeans. "Never leave home without it. Or your dimension for that matter, why?"

         "Take out everything with the year as will as your checks, bank card, etc. We'll hack them into bits and deposit them in the dumpster."

         "Okay." Handing her knife to Hotaru, she fished out everything she could think of that would link them as not from this world as the senshi destruction began cutting her driver's license into tiny pieces, followed by her bank card. In a matter of minutes she was done with the task and handed the knife back to Deidra before depositing the mutilated items in the dumpster. 

         "I never liked this picture anyway. Die!" Deidra giggled as she hacked up her driver's license. 

         Wincing slightly, the violet-eyed Sailor senshi felt her stomach groan. "You know, I am so hungry right now, that I eagerly eat your burnt, almost completely cremated popcorn."

         "Hey! Half of it was edible!"

         "Yes and the other half was completely black. Why didn't you every learn how to cook?"

         With a sigh, Deidera rose to her feet, carrying her mess to the dumpster, promptly dumping it inside. "I traveled a lot and never had a chance," she quietly replied. "Where to now?"

         "I don't know. Let's just walk and find out." Hotaru began heading out the alley with Deidera at her heels.

         "What about the library?"

         "We'll go there tomorrow. We have to find it first of course."

         "Right. I guess we do have all the time in the world. Hey! Maybe we'll find some food by then!"

         "Deidera, please don't talk about food. I don't think my stomach can take it."

         "Sorry. Shutting up now."

         In silence the two girls continued on their journey. Where?  Not even they knew for sure.         

*~*~*~*

Author's Note: So sorry about this being so extremely late. I've had to deal with finals, moving, (Yay! No more roommates from hell!) a well needed vacation and a nasty case of writer's block. 

Special note, I know the GW guys didn't appear this chapter but they play a significant role in the next one when everything hits the fan.... extreme angst, here we come!                    

Oh and sorry about the extreme swearing by Deidera. It was needed and you can well expect that the Outer senshi made her watch her language so the fact that she has really been slipping plays a major role.   


	5. Emergency

Tragic Rain Part 5

Emergency

by

Sailor Janus

         Deidera frowned as she picked her head up from her knees. Absentmindedly she was ripping up money at the same time since it was no better than a child's play money. Apparently this world used a different form of currency. Giggling she tore the paper money which had a nice large twenty printed on it, into tiny bits as the heavy rain further saturated the useless bill. 

         Hotaru glanced at her friend with concern, but did not say a word. What would the use be anyway?  'Deidera is going to be institutionalized if she keeps this up,' she bitterly thought. Today marked day five in the new world as poor, starving street urchins who were quickly growing ill. Oddly, the two sailor senshi went from violently shivering to practically nothing. In the back of Hotaru's mind she knew this was not a good thing, but could not remember the reason why. The day before, led them no where, and they still had yet to find the library. Instead, they found shelter under on overhang of a building which did little to keep them dry. Rising to her feet, Hotaru stumbled down the steps on shaky legs. "Deidera, we better go. The owner will probably arrive any minute."

         "Kay." Without a second thought, the burgundy-haired girl climbed to her feet and jumped over the steps, nearly tripping as she landed which would have caused her to land on her face, but miraculously she remained up right. "That was fun!"

         Taking a deep breath, Hotaru nodded and began walking with the senshi of dimensions following behind. 

         "Sooo, Hotaru. What're we gonna to do today? The same thing we do everyday, absolutely nothing!" 

         The senshi of Saturn cringed from Deidera's strange antics. It was apparent that she was clearly going insane. Hotaru tried to keep her face as blank as possible. 'Maybe if I can try hacking into some files....'

         "Hotaru! Hooootaaaarrruuu! I just realized something.....My hair is really LONG when wet! It goes past my ass!" Spinning around and holding her hands up, Deidera slurred, "Water, water everywhere, and not a drop to drink!"  With a snicker she took off in a gallop after her best friend.

         Raising an eyebrow, Hotaru tried to understand what exactly Deidera was saying. She knew the teen was talking, but couldn't really pay attention to what. Just then they reached their destination. 

         "Hey! It's da place da boooks live!"

         Nodding Hotaru looked at the sign. "And it's closed." 

         "Bummer. Soooo now what?"

         Glancing at the windows, Hotaru snuck around the building as Deidera once again followed. Carefully she inspected each of the windows before coming to one which was broken. With a smirk, she pushed it open and climbed inside gesturing for her the Senshi of Janus to follow. 

         With a shrug, Deidera hopped through the entry and fell on her butt. Making a face, she stood and searched for Hotaru who had disappeared. "Hotaru?"

         "Shhhh, I'm at the computers."

         With a shrug, she approached her friend which already had the computer booted up. "So why are we here?"

         "I'm going to hack into the government information and create files on us. It'll be easier to find a job if we already exist. However it would probably be better to just let whatever is supposed to happen, happen. Including death."

         "Not again! Why are you so hot/cold about death? It's annoying the hell out of me!"

         Giving Deidera a look she accessed the correct site, now all Hotaru needed to do was break through a few fire walls, and access the correct codes. 

         Sitting a chair next to her friend the taller girl shrugged. "I always forgot you knew how to hack. Usually Ami and Setsuna.... did most of it." Sighing, she brought her knees up to her chest, leaning on them with her arms. "Sorry."

         "My father was a mad scientist so of course I picked up on it. I had to hack into his files several times to be for certain that he was not planning anything sinister," she replied, her blank violet eyes staring into the glowing screen as she spoke in an even tone.

         "Was he?" 

         Closing her eyes briefly, Hotaru tried to concentrate on her task. "Almost got it." Finally she was in. At a rapid pace, she created background and profiles on herself and Deidera before realizing that Deidera had asked a question. "What did you say?"

         "Huh?" 

         "You said something.... I think."

         "Did I?"

         A tired smirk spread across Hotaru's face as she completed her self-set duty. Quickly shutting down the computer, she rose to her feet, turning to answer Deidera, but discovered her friend's appearance was not one of health. "You don't look well. We better get out of here."

         "I'm fine. It's just the rain and air conditioning is making cold." Carefully Deidera too stood up and headed out of the library with Hotaru this time following her. Cautiously, she climbed out of the window and held it open for her accomplice. 

         Stumbling up to her feet on the slick grass, the violet-eyed teen fell to her knees. A look of confusion shone on her pale face.

         "Hotaru, are you okay?" Deidera asked, holding out a hand to help her friend.

         Nodding she stood up without help. "I'm fine, okay? Just leave me alone!" Angrily she stomped away, heading down the vacant sidewalk as the storm poured harder down on their weather beaten flesh. Helplessly, Deidera raced after her.

         "Hotaru, I don't like this. We need to find someplace dry and warm before-" Suddenly, Hotaru collapsed on the ground before Deidera's very eyes. "Hotaru!" Running frantically, she fell to her knees next to the unconscious girl, shaking her shoulders. "No Hotaru! Come on, wake up! Damn it, Hotaru! WAKE UP!" Tears began to sting her eyes. Hesitantly her hand brushed against the Senshi of destruction's face nearly taking Deidera's breath away. "Shit! You're like......ice cold." Choking on a sob, Deidera wished to every high power that could hear her that this did not mark the end for them. Already she felt her own movements were sluggish. "Hotaru......you've got to hear me! You can't leave me alone in this damned world. You're the only damned friend I've got left! Please wake up! WAKE UP!" 

*~*~*~*

         Duo, crossed his arms, grumbling about being forced to stay late for work, on a Sunday! Walking down the street next to Heero and Quatre who was holding a large umbrella he grumbled, "Why didn't Trowa and Wu-man have to stay? Why did we get stuck with the sucky jobs?" 

         "Because they had previous engagements to attend, remember? Wufei had to report to the conference in China, and Trowa had something to take care of concerning the circus. They'll be back later on tonight," Quatre simply answered as Heero nodded in agreement.

         "Yeah, well I still find it unfair." Sulking, her turned his head to the opposite side of the street and froze, raising an eyebrow. "Hey, aren't those the two girls from that alley fight?"

         Duo's two comrades paused as well, glancing at the direction he was gesturing to. Sure enough, the L2 teen was correct. The dark-haired one was walking a few feet ahead of the burgundy-haired girl whose hair were so soaked with rain water, that it hung past her waist, almost stick straight. 

         "Hn. I have a few a questions for them," the Perfect Soldier nodded.

         Frowning, the blonde stared at the two girls as the shorter one suddenly paused. "They look like they're in trouble."

         Duo cringed as Hotaru suddenly fell sending the other girl into a severe panic attack. "Um, the dark-haired one is on the ground and doesn't look like she's gonna get up anytime soon.  I'd have to say it's a positive on needing help." Without even thinking, he bolted across the street, Quatre and Heero running at his heels.

*~*~*~*

         Deidera tried to swallow as she choked on the salty tears which mingled together with the rain water. Suddenly a deep voice nearly made her jump out of her skin. 

         "Hey, need some help?" Duo questioned, kneeling in front of the burgundy-haired girl who abruptly stumbled up to her feet, backing away slightly. Quickly he stood up as well. "It's okay. We're not going hurt you or your friend, but you both look like you could use some major help right now."

         Blinking with recognition she stuttered, "It-it's you. She just....col-col....apsed. She fe....els....so.....cold."

         Quatre and Heero inspected Hotaru, neither liking how fatal the girl's condition was becoming. "We better get them someplace warm fast. I suspect its hypothermia," Quatre said as Heero nodded in agreement

         Carefully, lifting up one eyelid, the L1 teen let out an unsatisfied grunt. "Her pupils are dilated, pulse is very weak. We have to get them out of here."  Delicately he scoped Hotaru up in his arms, knowing that any rough movements could cause heartbeat irregularities or even death.

         "Thank you," Deidera briefly smiled before falling weakly against Duo.

         "Whoa!" Carefully, he tried to steady her.

         Regaining her balance, she nodded. "I'm okay. Just very tired."  

         "Lady Une's apartment is closest. We should take them there. She might be able to help us while we wait for a medic," Quatre suggested, pulling out his cell phone in hopes of contacting their superior. 

         Feeling fatigued, Deidera nodded, and just about collapsed again only to be caught by Duo. "I....can walk."

         Shaking his head Quatre said gently, "If you try moving, you'll use up more body heat which means you'll end like your friend."

         "She-she'll be okay. Right?" Receiving her requested head nod from the blonde Preventer, a faint smile appeared on her face as her knees gave way, falling limply against Duo again.

         Catching the teenaged girl around her waist, the braided-haired teen made a face. "Ow. I wish she'd stop doing that!" Taking a deep breath, he picked her up. "We better go say hi to Lady Une."

         Nodding Heero walked briskly in the direction of the woman's apartment complex, as Duo and Quatre, who was talking to their superior on his cell phone, followed close behind.

*~*~*~*

         Lady Une peered out of the peephole on her front door. Recognizing the three boys, she unlocked the door and swung it open. "Quick, bring them inside! A medic should arrive shortly!" Nodding Heero and Duo carried in the two girls as Quatre gently closed the door. "Set them on the floor and get as many blankets from the linen closet as possible. The removal of their  wet clothes is vital for recovery." 

         Gently, placing Hotaru on one of the blankets on the floor, Heero watched Duo do the same with Deidera before dragging his two friends in the other room to give the girls some privacy. 

         Groaning, Deidera opened her eyes looking around the unfamiliar room. "Huh?"

         In shock, the older woman looked at the confused girl. "You're awake?" Scrambling for some dry spare clothes next to her, she threw them at Deidera. "Get out of those wet clothes fast and put these on."

         "Here?!"

         "Now, or you'll have a big problem," Lady Une sternly said. 

         With a sigh, Deidera followed orders, turning her back as she exchanged her soaked clothing for a baggy sweat shirt and sweatpants. Turning around, she notice Hotaru was now fully dressed in similar clothes. 

         "You two haven't been on the streets too long, have you."

         Just as Deidera was about to answer, the three teenaged boys who rescued her and Hotaru entered the room with blankets piled in their arms. Squeezing water out of her hair with a towel, she suddenly felt very nervous. "No. It's been only five days.... I think."

         "Are you runaways?" Duo asked, handing Deidera a plush tan blanket. 

         "Duo!" Quatre shouted, unable to believe that his friend just asked that question. 

         "Huh?" Deidera questioned, looking uncertain at the group around her.

         Frowning at the burgundy-haired girl's behavior as she wrapped Hotaru almost completely in layers of blankets, leaving only her face visible, she ordered, Duo, put her on the couch and wrap her in blankets. 

         With a shrug he picked up the perplexed teenaged girl and placed on her the blue couch, shrouding her with blankets as Quatre helped in covering her head. "Do you have a name?"

         "A name?"  Pausing for a moment, the girl finally answered. "Deidera Doubre."

         "And her?" Quatre questioned, receiving frown.

         "Hotaru Tomoe." Suddenly, her head fell forward as she lost consciousness. 

         Duo backed away staring wide-eyed at the Deidera. "Oh man. That can't be good." The other two ex-pilots exchanged glances as the sound of sirens rang through the air.

*~*~*~*

Author's Notes: I actually finished this all in one day! I was shocked and I still have other stories to complete! Go figure. All the information on hypothermia is exact. I went to several websites and found the info. 

Oh, the funny thing is I was listening to first my Garbage CD like usual, but when Hotaru passed out, I switched over to Holding out for a Hero. ^_^ I'm strange but truthfully, Hotaru and Deidera would not be able to survive on their own. 

Thanks for reading! ^_^


	6. Awake

Tragic Rain Part 6

Awake

by

Sailor Janus

         Groaning softly, Deidera turned her head in the opposite direction and yawned only to end up with a mouth full of hair. Slightly coughing she opened her eyes and frowned. 'Where am I?' she thought when suddenly an unfamiliar face appeared.

         "Hey! You're finally awake!" Duo cheerfully said once again startling the poor girl who screamed in warning. Cringing he too began to panic, waving his arms in front of himself trying to make her to stop. "Whoa, whoa, whoa! Quiet down! I'm not going to hurt you! Actually, I saved you......PLEASE STOP!"

         The burgundy-haired teen fell silent as she tilted her head in thought. "You do kinda look familiar.... why is that?"

         "Um, we first saw each other after you and your friend beat up that street gang and then again a few days later when you kinda fell on me twice. Good thing we were at the right place at the right time. You almost died."

         "Who is we?"

         Grinning the braided-haired teen said, "Just friends. You saw them after the street gang too and they helped your friend out who was actually in worse shape. You were kinda delirious though. After you woke up, you babbled non-stop about talking cats and skimpily-dressed monsters." Raising an eyebrow he added, "You must have one hell of an imagination!"         

         'Oh no. What the hell did I say?! At least they think I was delirious,' Deidera thought, gaping in shock. Suddenly the expression faded. 'skimpily dressed monsters and talking cats....They really are still gone.' Drawing a breath she asked, "Uh, why are you here anyway?"

         "Well, since we couldn't find your identification cards or anything resembling health insurance, we had to make sure the hospital staff wouldn't toss you two on the streets like the usual sick homeless people or send you to a shelter. It's new procedure unfortunately because the hospitals are filling up fast and they are pretty short on staff as well. Rather sad if you ask me."

         "But you don't even know us.....why?"

         Shrugging, Duo explained, "Let's just say based on your skills and the clothing you two were wearing, you're not the run of the mill homeless teens. Runaways perhaps, but neither of you were even close to being prepared nor took the measures other runaways tend to take. You both seem pretty clean cut too." Pausing for a minute, he plopped down on the bedside chair. "You haven't been on the streets that long because your clothing wasn't too worn yet you lack money. The hospital staff also said both you and your friend were pretty malnourished which brings me to agree with my friends. Neither of you are from around here are you?"

         "No," Deidera weakly answered. 'Who the hell is this guy?' Studying the young man's face carefully she decided he seemed harmless, but then again Hotaru was correct. Looks can be deceiving. "Do you mind sharing your name?"

         "Certainly. The name's Duo Maxwell, at your service," he grinned, doing a mock bow. "And you are Deidera Doubre, correct?'

         Gaping at Duo, the teenaged girl inquired, "How-how did you know my name?"

         "You told me right before you passed out." 

         "I did?"

         "Yep. You were really confused though which makes sense with a body temperature of 30 degrees Celsius," Duo admitted, appearing as though he were holding something back.

         Frowning, Deidera looked closely at his face. "How long have I been out?"

         Shrugging he answered, "Maybe five hours. You keep drifting in and out of consciousness. At least your core temperature, whatever that is, is at 36.5. You're still probably a bit cold, but you're almost normal." Hesitantly he glanced around the room, hoping she was not going to ask about her friend. "Uh, why don't you get some more rest or if you're not tired, I can always see if I can get one of the nurses to bring you something to drink. They said no solid food for twenty-four hours because they don't want you to vomit."

         Nodding Deidera said the one sentence Duo was pleading silently that she would not ask. "Where is Hotaru?"

         "Hotaru?"

         "Yes, my friend, Hotaru Tomoe. Where is she? Is she okay?"

         Inwardly groaning, Duo stiffly nodded. He wasn't going to lie, but he wasn't about to tell the full truth either. "She's in another room recovering."

         "Can I see her?"      

         "Sorry babe, but the doc says you are not to move from that bed until you're fully recovered which you aren't." Grinning he stood up. "Uh, listen, I'm kinda thirsty myself, so I'll just leave you here for a few minutes and see if I can get something to drink around here. I'll be back." 

         Nodding tiresomely, Deidera's eyes began to droop, "Okay," she murmured, closing her eyes before falling fast asleep.

         Smiling sympathetically, Duo headed out of the room. Softly he shut the door behind him, muttering, "Just my luck. She couldn't momentarily have amnesia, could she?" Sighing, he walked down the hall, hoping for Deidra's sake that her friend was going to survive. "Must be rough though." 

         "Duo!" 

         Spinning around upon hearing his name called, the Preventer was greeted by Quatre who was carrying a tray of coffee. "Hey Quatre! Doing a coffee run I see."

         Handing his friend a cup, the blonde nodded. "Yes, I was about to stop off at the one girl's room to give this to you."

         "Mighty thoughtful of you," Duo grinned, taking a sip as he continued down the hall with Quatre along side him.

         "How is the one young lady recovering?"

         "Deidera? The doc says she should return to normal temperature by tomorrow. She was suffering from mild frostbite and malnutrition as well." Drawing a breath he inquired, "Has her friend gotten any better. The last I heard, they were having some difficulty trying to even stabilize her temperature."

         Sighing, Quatre sadly said, "They've been using every possible method they can think of. Primarily inhalation rewarming, but also heated IVs and core rewarming. If she doesn't start responding soon, they may be forced to use either extra corporeal circulation, peritoneal lavage or rapid rewarming, which can result in some complications." Shaking his head he added. "It's as if she doesn't want to continue living. She's completely giving up." 

         "Oh man."

         "I know. I wish there was something we could do to help, but it's in their hands now." Tiresomely,  the blonde Preventer dropped his gaze to the coffee. "I left Heero in the waiting room. I wonder if they gave him word on any changes in her condition."

         Just then they were approached by the Perfect Soldier. Calmly walking towards his friends, he evenly reported, "I just received word the girl's temperature is beginning to rise. It has reached 31 degrees Celsius and appears to still be rising. She may fully recover within the next twenty-four or forty-eight hours."  

         "That's great!" Quatre exclaimed, handing Heero his cup of coffee. 

         "Yeah! That means I won't have to tell half of the truth to her friend! Can you imagine telling Deidera that her friend died?" Duo said with a shudder. "Would probably do the babe in."

         "Deidera?" Heero remarked, looking at the chestnut brown-haired ex-pilot.

         Nodding he took the cup of coffee in his other hand. "Yeah, her name's Deidera Doubre. I think I can recall her mentioning that the other girl's name is Hotaru Tomoe if I am not mistaken. She's still really confused though. Screamed as soon as she saw me."          

         "Hn," the Perfect Soldier nodded.

         "You're suspicious of them aren't you."          

         Heero, merely looked at Duo before starting down the hall. 

*~*~*~*

         The next day Hotaru had finally reached 35 degrees Celsius and appeared to be on the verge of a full recovery. Given the dramatic change in health she was moved into Deidera's room who still was recovering. Both girls would have to stay at the hospital for at least another twenty-four hours if not more. 

         Lady Une, who was intrigued by the two teenagers after Quatre had reported to her the skills they had witnessed the girls use against the street gang, instructed for the ex-pilots to remain at the hospital with them until they were fully recovered. She too was curious about their abilities to fight off the gang as well as why they were in the bad part of town without identification, money or supplies which could have prevented them from starving and freezing to death. They both appeared to have been from very well to do families, judging on the condition of their clothes, but the large mystery concerning why they were there to begin with remained unanswered.

         Regardless, the orders were followed as directed. Duo made himself comfortable in a chair, amusing himself with multiple issues of manga and sports magazines. Trowa, Quatre, and Wufei were gathered around a small table, engaged in a quiet game of gin rummy. This left Heero, who found a chair near the window, to hack on his laptop through government files searching for information on the two peculiar girls. 

         Murmuring softly, Hotaru clenched her eyes shut tighter before slowly opened them. Blinking a few times she tried to clear her foggy vision. 'Where...where am I?'

         "Hey the other is awake!" Duo cheerfully said, pointing out the confused looking dark-haired girl, who frowned at him.

         "About time," Wufei grumbled, drawing another card. "Stupid weak card." He was losing to both Trowa and Quatre which did not exactly put the Chinese Preventer in the best of moods.

         Surprisingly, Hotaru's violet eyes turned ice cold as she glared at the five strange boys in the room. "Who are you?"

         Blinking, the chestnut brown-haired teen shuddered, "Anyone else have frostbite? Yeesh!"

         Rising to his feet, the blonde looked cautiously at the girl. "Uh, My name is Quatre Raberba Winner, in the chair over there with the braid is Duo Maxwell, The one with the black hair is Chang Wufei, Trowa Barton is the tall one leaning against the wall, and in the corner by the window is Heero Yuy." he said, making introductions.  "We, uh saved you."

         "Where am I?"

         "The hospital. You had hypothermia and almost died."

         "Why didn't you let me die like I was supposed to?" Hotaru snapped, stunning each of her guests.  Abruptly, Duo started choking, Quatre dropped his eyes to the ground frowning, Wufei raised his eyebrows, Trowa blinked in surprise, and Heero glanced up from his laptop with an expressionless look on his face.

         "You want to die?!" the L2 teen sputtered.

         Scowling at Duo, the senshi of Saturn asked, "Where's Deidera?"

         "In the other bed next to you," Trowa softly said.

         Nodding her thanks, Hotaru began climbing out of bed.

         "Stop! You're not-" Quatre abruptly cried out, but was stunned silent from the teenaged girl's harsh look. 

         Gritting her teeth, Hotaru approached Deidera's bedside. Roughly she shook the senshi of Janus's shoulder as she scowled. "Deidera. Deidera, wake up or else."

         Sleepily, Deidera muttered, "Five more minutes, Setsuna." Rolling, over she made herself comfortable and attempted to doze off. 

         Unfortunately for the senshi of dimensions, Hotaru snatched the pillow off her own bed and whacked the curly-haired girl with it. "Wake. Up."

         Groaning, the girl opened her eyes and turned back over. "Hmmm?" Blinking, she rubbed her eyes and grinned. "Hotaru! You're alive!" 

         "You did it again!" 

         Deidera's smile immediately became a frown. "Please don't tell me you have your heart set on dying again!" Staring into her best friend's infuriated eyes, the girl clenched her teeth together. "You're the only damn family I have left!"

         "Deidera," Hotaru hissed, refusing to listen to her friends plea. Both were completely oblivious to the five boys who were watching their interaction with curiosity. 

         Growling softly Deidera sat up. "Fine! If you want to die so badly then I'll tell you what," she began, sliding out of her bed and stomped to the tiny closet where their  clothes were her hanging. Thankfully the gowns she and Hotaru were wearing had backs to them as well or both teens would have been rather mortified. Gritting her teeth, she snatched her jeans from the hanger and rummaged through the pocket, pulling out a small pocket knife. Spinning around she approached Hotaru holding it out to her. "Here! Take the fucking thing against your wrists and be done with it!" 

         Glowering at her only friend, Hotaru accepted the blade, ignoring the fact that Deidera had practically crumpled to the floor, leaning helplessly against the wall. Without a single emotion on her impassive face, the girl flicked the blade out. Luckily, as she nearly brought it down on her wrist, one strong hand pulled her arm away as another person snatched the knife from her grasp. 

         "What is going on between you two?" Heero questioned pulling Hotaru who was now lunging for Duo, away pinning her arms to her sides. 

         "You two are freaky," the other Preventer said, folding the blade, and sticking the knife in his pocket.

         "Let. Me. Go," the seemingly suicidal girl ordered of the Perfect Soldier, but he refused, maintaining his firm grip as she continued to struggle against him.

         "We lost everything. Friends, family, home, everything and Hotaru insists on joining them in death," Deidera quietly said gazing at the polished tile floor. "She doesn't think it's right that we survived and they didn't. I tend to think otherwise."

         "Deidera, shut up," Hotaru said in a threatening voice. 'Don't you dare tell them who we really are or I'll kill you with my bare hands!'

         "When did that happen?" Quatre inquired in a sympathetic tone. 

         Swallowing thickly Deidera answered, "Several days ago. I can't really remember. That's why we caught hypothermia and were starving. We were stuck in the rain for days. Our ride dropped us off in the middle of no where. We had no choice but to escape as soon as possible."

         "What happened?" Trowa questioned, looking carefully at the burgundy-haired girl who was now slumped against the wall.

         "We were attacked in a surprise assault. Hotaru and I arrived a bit late and were pretty injured as well. Nine lives were stolen that day. We have no one left but each other."       

         Arching an eyebrow, Wufei scrutinized what was being said. "Why were we unaware of this, massacre?"

         Pausing for a moment, Deidera drew a breath, contemplating how to stretch the truth to this particular question. "No one else knows it happened. They are very stealth with their tactics. We tried to fight as best as we could but it was no use. I had take Hotaru and run. We were the only survivors."

         Hotaru dropped her head slightly, concentrating on the floor. 'Good, Deidera. You're not relaying any information that they should not know. Let's hope they believe you.'  Gritting her teeth,  the teenaged girl abruptly tensed her body before breaking free of Heero's grasp. Spinning around she glared at him. "Don't ever touch me again." Quietly she stalked back to her bed, feeling a chill come on. 

         The Perfect Soldier's face remained impassive as Hotaru walked away. Shifting his eyes from one girl to the other Heero came to the conclusion that Deidera was not telling the full truth.

         "Man, that's got be rough," Duo said sympathetically. "So do you know who they were?"

         Tiresomely Deidera shook her head. "We tried so hard......but it was no use."

         "Why are you so concerned about us?" the dark-haired senshi snapped, looking coolly around the room.

         "Just wanted to help some damsels in distress," the L2 teen shrugged.

         "I can take care of myself and so can Deidera."

         Crossing his arms, Heero evenly said, "If you are implying dying, then I agree."

         "Who asked you?" Hotaru practically growled.

         "I believe you did."                   

         Glaring daggers at Hotaru she replied, "You do not even know who I am so keep your opinion to yourself."

         "Hn."

         Duo sighed, realizing that his speculation was correct. Heero was indeed suspicious of the two girls. Turning his attention to the floor, he looked at Deidera who had not moved from her previous position. "Hey, need some help?"

         "She doesn't need help. Neither of us do," Hotaru said moving her focus from Heero to Duo.

         Sighing, the poet carefully, stumbled up to her feet. "It's okay. I'm fine." Directing her attention to Hotaru she added, "I'd be better though if someone would just accept fate for what it is and stop blaming herself."         

         Wordlessly, the senshi of Saturn turned her head, determined to ignore her friend's pleas. Unconsciously she began twisting the hem of her sheets tightly. The boys glanced from her to Deidera, unsure of what to make of the two. They both appeared to be fairly troubled and grief-stricken. Soon the room filled with a thick silence as well. 

         "Well, if you have no place to go then why don't you stay with us? There's more than enough room," Quatre suggested, breaking  silence.          

         "WHAT?!" Duo, Deidera, and  Wufei shouted as Hotaru, Heero, and Trowa's eyes flicked in shock. 

         "Quatre," the Perfect Soldier said in a monotone.

         Shrugging the blonde explained, "They have no place to go so why not?"

         "We don't even know them," Trowa reminded his friend.

         "That's not necessary. We decline your offer," the dark-haired girl quietly said, shaking her head.

         "But why? You have no place else to go," Quatre argued.

         "I said no. We do not need your pity."

         Finding her voice, Deidera added as she climbed back into bed, "Not to mention we seem to have bad luck with people who do take us in."         

         The kind-hearted teen however would not take no for an answer. "What can I do to convince you?"

         "Winner, they refused," Wufei muttered. He wasn't too enthusiastic about the possibility of living with two girls.

         "How about I present to you a proposition that you can't hardly turn down," a new voice said from the doorway. The seven teenagers turned their heads to the source of the voice, only to discover that it belonged to Lady Une.

         "Whatever you have to say, the answer is no," Hotaru coolly stated, scowling at the woman.

         Wincing at the other's girl's tone Deidera said, "Hotaru, let's at least hear this lady out before we make any hasty decisions. Turning back to the older woman, the college student smiled, "Uh, sorry about. Who are you and  what do you wanna ask us?"

         "I am Lady Une and I would greatly like for the two of you to work for us. Given the abilities you had previously demonstrated, both of you may prove to be very beneficial. There will be some training and tests involved to measure up your skills but if you are indeed qualified, you may eventually do the same work as these five," the brunette clearly explained. "However you will have to accept room and board at the Winner mansion only because the apartments in town are not of best quality as far as the vacant ones are concerned. You two have already discovered this area is not the safest."

         "I repeat, we decline," the dark-haired girl firmly replied. "We do not need your pity or handouts."

         "Um, what is it you do anyway? maid service, run a restaurant? Is it a job?" Deidera rambled, hoping the older woman did not feel offended by her friend's attitude.

         "I am the head supervisor of a very special peace maintenance program. You will learn more the further you excel," Lady explained. "Do you or do you not accept?" 

         Blinking, Hotaru looked at the woman carefully. "Peace maintenance program?" Pursing her lips in thought she debated her answer. 'Peace maintenance. That changes everything. By agreeing perhaps I make myself useful since I can't seem to die. Not to mention perhaps I can achieve a form of redemption by helping her cause. Deidera will at least keep off my back for once.'  Drawing a breath Hotaru nodded. "I accept."

         Deidera however rose her eyebrows in pure shock at her best friend. "Whoa! Hotaru, why did you change your mind? I thought for sure you'd say no!" 

         "It'll give us a new purpose. If you disagree, that is your choice."

         "No! I mean yeah! I accept too!"

         Smiling, Lady Une said, "Then welcome aboard girls. As soon as you have fully recovered." Addressing the ex-pilots she added "Gentlemen, be sure to find two adequate rooms for your trainees. I'll expect you five tomorrow." Quietly the woman turned and left the room.

         Gaping Duo uttered, "How did she do that? I can't believe she suckered us into this!"

         "Injustice! We have to live with two women!" Wufei grumbled.

         Deidera frowned at the Chinese pilot before a smirk finally lit up her face. "What's wrong Wuffy? Afraid of cooties?"

         Wufei however glared daggers at the teenaged girl. "My name is Wufei." Turning his head, he glowered at Duo who was helplessly snickering. "Don't encourage her, Maxwell."

         Shrugging, he innocently replied, "I'm not doing anything."

         "Hn. This might be a challenge," Heero softly said in a monotone.

         "How is that?" Hotaru bluntly challenged. "Think we'll be too difficult for you?"

         Sighing, Deidera tossed a strand of hair from her face. "Hotaru, lighten up. It-"

         "Shut up, Deidera," she quickly interrupted.

         Bowing his head, Trowa lightly shook it. "Heero is right. This will be challenge. Both girls are grieving their losses and there still seems to be some harsh feelings towards each other as well. Especially Hotaru about Deidera."

         Cringing, Quatre added, "Not to mention Wufei already appears to have a dislike for Miss Deidera and Miss Hotaru and Heero do not seem too found of each other as well." Sighing, the blonde ran a hand through his hair. "I believe our lives just got interesting."

*~*~*~*

Author's Notes: I know what some of you are thinking concerning the girls becoming Preventers and living with the guys just like several OTHER stories. Well, even though it seems to follow the same formula, it won't. Already the guys have deemed this as a bad idea. Not to mention the only reason Hotaru agreed was for redemption. 

Um, I think that's it so thank you for reading and don't forget to review!


	7. New Life

Tragic Rain Part 7

New Life

By

Sailor Janus

            Deidera shielded her jade green eyes as she gazed up at the Winner Mansion. Never before had she seen such a huge house before. For as long as she could remember, the most common place she had lived in was a tiny two-bedroom apartment with peeling paint and a severe roach problem. That was before Haruka, Michiru, and Setsuna allowed her to live with them in their lavish high-rise apartment. Then again, Prof. Tomoe's home was very impressive as well. She bit her lip momentarily as Quatre, Duo, and Trowa walked ahead. "You all live here?" Deidera questioned, pushing a strand of burgundy hair from her face.

            "Yeah. After we joined the Preventers, Quatre was kind enough to take us in. Hell, he could house allllll the Preventers if he wanted to," Duo grinned.

            Quatre blushed and nodded. "It was the least I could do." Walking up to the door, he unlocked it and pushed it open. "Miss Hotaru, Miss Deidera, welcome home."

            "I still can't believe he's doing this. It's absurd. We don't even know who these girls are!" Wufei grumbled under his breath as he followed the group inside.

            "Wufei, let Lady Une decide whether or not they are trustworthy or not," Trowa whispered.

            Deidera's eyes widened as she stared at the expensive furnishings of the mansion. Shades of blue, gold, tan, and cream were decorated throughout the room giving the place an ornate feel. "Wow," she gasped and turned to Hotaru who froze right next to her.

            Shifting her attention from the large living room she glanced at the polished gold and silver trimmed mirror hung on the far wall. Even from the distance, she could still see her reflection. Hotaru drew a breath and swallowed. Turning her head slightly, she threw a glare at Deidera and spun around. "Look, I really don't feel like a tour so just show us our rooms and we'll be on our way."

            Quatre blinked and frowned at the cold response. "O-Okay. If that's what you want."

            "She's probably just tired," Deidera said with a reassuring smile. Of course, she wasn't sure herself if it was working since Hotaru's bad mood still hadn't passed.

            Quatre merely nodded and directed the two girls up two flights of stairs and down a long hallway. He passed five doors before coming to a stop. "On the left is your room Hotaru and across from it is Deidera's. I hope they are to your liking. Lady Une and Sally Po whom you'll meet later also left some clothes for you. You'll find them hung in the closet and in the bureau. If you don't like, then I'll arrange for a shopping trip in a day or so."

            "Thank you, Quatre," Deidera smiled. She loved the idea of no longer being forced to freeze on the streets from being homeless. 

            "Thank you," Hotaru stiffly said.

            "If there is anything I or anyone can do for you, please don't hesitate to ask," Quatre said. He turned on his heel and said, "Once again, welcome and I hope you like it here." Without another word he quietly left.

            "So Hotaru, I think we should talk," Deidra began as she turned to her left but was cut off by a door swinging shut in her face. Deidera blinked and sighed. "Or not. Hope for your sake, that you can let go soon." Deidera smiled sadly and the door then retreated into her own room.

*~*~*~*

            Hotaru drifted her gave through the large bedroom. The walls were a dusky shade of blue which blended well with the gray carpet on the floor. The bed was a four-poster queen sized bed with a silvery curtain. The bureau was a rich walnut color which matched the nightstand and the desk and chair perfectly. A silver oil burning lamp served as decoration on the immaculate desk which gave it a classic yet antique feel. 

            "It is incredible in here," she remarked when she discovered that she had her own bathroom, complete with a large bathtub. They could have been snotty about everything and forced her and Deidera to share a room, it was definitely big enough. However, it was a pleasant surprise that they didn't. 

            Hotaru clenched her jaw and shook her head. 'I don't deserve this. Who am I kidding? I don't belong here. She narrowed her eyes at the shiny curtain and carefully began removing it. Her life wasn't a fairytale and she damn well didn't deserve to sleep like it was one.  After she removed the last of it, she carefully folded it up and tucked it away inside a drawer of the bureau. 

            Next she picked up the lamp and shoved it on a shelf in the closet. Hotaru turned and made a face at the artwork which decorated the walls. Those too would have to go. Each piece was gently removed and stacked up inside the closet. 

            Hotaru spun back around and studied the bed. Too comfortable. She'd opt for the floor instead. She wanted redemption, but didn't deserve luxury as she sought out to earn it. Without a second thought she sat on the floor. "Welcome home, indeed," she breathed. A flash of pain appeared on her face and the girl scrambled to her knees as she dug one hand in her pocket and pulled out the purple henshin wand. Tears watered the senshi of destruction's eyes as she looked at the beautiful carvings and the symbol of Saturn which decorated it. She and Janus were the last one left. They failed. She failed. She didn't deserve to be alive. Not like this. She should have died in battle or on the streets. It was all Deidera's fault. They got their too late. They should have never left the battle. They should have died along with the others. Damn her. They didn't deserve a second chance. Hotaru's clenched the wand tightly in her shaky hand. It wasn't fair. The others should still be alive. Now she was going to have to suffer with the guilt of knowing that she lived and the others died. Maybe this was meant to be her punishment; possessing the knowledge of the fact that she didn't save the others. 

            Numbly Hotaru rose to her feet and walked into her bathroom. She had to seek relief and fast. 

*~*~*~*

            "I still don't understand why we are allowing those girls to stay here," Wufei said from his plush chair. As Quatre guided the girls to their rooms, the rest of ex-pilots thought it would be best to retire to the study to discuss the last mission or anything else they had their minds.

            "Drop it, Wufei," Trowa said as he flipped through the newspaper. 

            "Yeah. Lady Une said-" Duo began but was interrupted by Wufei once again.

            "Lady Une said. I tell you, it's a conspiracy! She's in on it."

            "In on what? Wufei, you'll be ranting over it until you're blue in the face. Leave it alone. What's done is done," Heero muttered from behind his laptop screen. He preferred the idea of keeping his friends closer and his enemies closer. And that went for potential threats as well. 

            "Yuy, don't tell me you like this idea," Wufei said, surprised by the fact that Heero Yuy of all people was going along with allowing two strange girls into their home.

            Heero throw a glare at the Chinese pilot then returned his attention to his computer.

            "Guys, shouldn't we consider other things? Like what to feed them? Do we even have enough food for everyone?" Duo considered.

            The three pilots paused and shook their heads at their comrade. Duo always seemed to have his mind focused on either food or girls. The fact that he was concerned for both didn't surprise them one bit. 

            Just then Quatre entered the room with a glum face.

            "What's wrong, Quatre?" Trowa asked, glancing up from the sports page. 

            "Are we doing the right thing? I mean, yeah, it's a kind thing to do and Lady Une did request for us to allow the girls to stay here but well-"

            "They've got some serious issues," Duo nodded in understanding. "Especially the dark haired one. She could probably give Heero, here a run for his money in a death glare battle."

            "Duo," Heero hissed in warning. 

            Duo winced. "Okay, you're in a very close tie."

            Heero growled, not liking the idea of being compared to the girl that nearly went comatose.

            "We should give it a try. If things don't work out, then we'll tell Lady Une and she deal with it," Trowa said, offering a solution to their dilemma. 

            Quatre paused in thought be he said, "We'll give it a week. If things become too difficult, then we'll report to Lady Une concerning the arrangements."

            "Right. By then, maybe they will have cooled down," Duo nodded.

            "Agreed. It will also give us a chance to see if they will be of any use and if they are hiding something," Heero said.

            Everyone then turned to Wufei who was still sulking. "Fine. A week. But I'm not going to enjoy this."

            "Hey Wu-man. At least Quatre's place is huge. You can just hide on another floor until the icky girls and their cooties are gone," Duo smirked.

            "MAXWELL!" Wufei roared as he stood up, and reached for his katana. Unfortunately for him, just as he had the weapon in hand, Duo had already raced out of the study and disappeared who knows where leaving the Chinese pilot alone in the room with the other three pilots and his katana. "INJUSTICE!"

*~*~*~*

            Deidera sat on her new bed with her knees drawn to her chest. She admitted that she liked her new room decorated in shades of green and the large four-poster bed but to her, it didn't feel like home. The fact that the room was so huge left her feeling more than a little intimidated by it. But that was the last thing that was of concern to her. Her primary worry was Hotaru. No matter what anybody did for her, she continued to draw back. Deidera remembered when she was like that once and knew unless Hotaru started opening up soon, that she was headed for a very long downward spiral. 

            Deidera was immediately shook out of her thoughts to the sound of her bedroom door opening and quickly swinging shut. She looked up and blinked at the sight of the braided haired Preventer who had his fore finger pressed to his lips. She raised an eyebrow in question and watched as he tiptoed towards her. "What are you doing in here?"

            "Shhhh, hiding from Justice Boy," he replied, taking a seat on her bed.

            "Why?" 

            "Pissed him off again so I had to find a hiding place," Duo smirked.

            Deidera snickered. "And how did you know that I wasn't changing clothes? I could have screamed you know."

            "It was just a chance I had to take babe," Duo grinned. 

            Deidera studied him for a moment and grinned back deciding that she was glad he popped into the room. Just based on the brief conversation they had so far, she could tell that he wasn't a real serious guy and actually seemed a bit playful in a devil's advocate sort of way. "So how long do you plan on hiding?"

            "Long enough for Wu-man to burn off steam."

            "And how long will that be?" 

            Duo raised an eyebrow. "Want to get rid of me that bad, huh," He chuckled and stood up. "Well, if you insist then I'll go search for a suitable closet now."

            "No," Deidera quickly said. She paused as her eyes widened. "I-I mean. I don't want you to get into trouble." Deidera silently cursed and drew a breath, brushing a strand of hair from her face. "Hotaru is giving me the silent treatment and …" The senshi of dimensions felt silent and shook her head.

            Duo frowned as he looked at her face. He couldn't help but wonder what exactly happened to the two girls. He supposed that the only way to find out was to befriend them, but he didn't know if that would mean secret sharing and the Shinigami himself had a closet full which should remain unseen. 

            Abruptly the growing tension in the room evaporated as Quatre announced that dinner was ready from down the hall. Immediately Duo and Deidera both perked up, their last conversation  now just a faint memory. 

            "Hungry?" Duo grinned as he wiggled his eyebrows.

            Deidera giggled and replied. "Starved."

            "Then we better go. Knowing Quatre, we're probably looking at a feast."

            Without another word, Duo and Deidera left room and headed for the dining room.

*~*~*~*

            Hotaru sat quietly at the table with Trowa, Heero, and Wufei. The guys seemed to be engrossed in details on the last mission and paid little attention to her, not that she cared. In fact, she didn't even want to come downstairs for food. Quatre, however knocked on her door, then the Heero and Trowa followed his example. She agreed only to get them out of her face. Hotaru studied the sleeves of her purple sweater. The cuffs, thanks to the wear and tear of being on the streets for nearly a week were fraying. She notice a tiny stain and cursed herself for not being more careful. Now it seemed very likely that she'll have to accept their generosity, at least when clothing was concerned. 

            "Hey, Hotaru. You're actually here!" Deidera grinned as she and Duo took a seat at the table. 

            Hotaru only glanced at her fellow sailor senshi in acknowledgement, but refused to give her anything more. 

            The burgundy haired girl's smile faded. With a sigh she turned her attention to her glass of water. 

            Duo frowned as he glanced at the two girls. No matter what Deidera did or said, Hotaru never seemed to show any kindness back. It almost appeared that Hotaru was blaming Deidera for whatever happened. 

            Heero too came to the same conclusion as he exchanged glances with Trowa concerning the cold response to Deidera's greeting. This of course, only made his suspicions grow. 

Just then, Quatre returned with one of many platters of food, but before he could put it down, Hotaru rose from her chair and walked away. Quatre blinked in shock, nearly dropping the hot platter. "What happened?"

            Tears fell from Deidera's green eyes as she started sobbing. Before the ex-pilots could think of saying another word, she too stood up and left the table. 

            "Wow. What the hell happened?" Duo gasped as he looked at the chair where Deidera was formally sitting.

"The tension between those two is practically electrifying," Trowa said as he took the platter from Quatre.

"Did I miss something? It seemed like it was so quiet in here," Quatre said, looking at each of his friends for answers.

Heero shook his head. "Words weren't needed. There seems to be an issue of blame between the two."

"Yeah, PMS," Wufei scoffed.

"Somehow, I doubt it, Wufei," Heero said as he shook his head. "It much stronger than that."

"Unfortunately, this is almost like a cold war between the two. If they don't solve their issues soon, things could get really ugly," Trowa quietly said. The other ex-pilots looked at him and knew he was dead serious.

Wufei growled, "See. I knew this was a bad idea. We should have never agreed to this!"

"Calm down, Wufster. Just how bad can they be?" Duo shrugged. The others exchanged glances with the same question in mind.

*~*~*~*

            Deidera pounded her fist against Hotaru's door. She had to know why Hotaru seemed to hate her so they could make up and be friends again. Despite the kindness of the Preventers, she still preferred Hotaru's friendship over theirs because she's the only one that truly knew and understood her. At least that's what she thought, but at the moment it seemed like Hotaru didn't understand her at all. "Hotaru, please talk to me. Why do you hate me?"

            There was still no answer. Hotaru, she guessed was probably sitting on the bathroom floor ignoring Deidera's loud knocking.

            "Hotaru, I'm sorry for what has happened but you can't keep blaming me damnit! What happened, happened. We can't change anything! The one that could is gone."

            Abruptly the door swung upon and Deidera was met with an icy  glare from the senshi of Saturn. "Go. Away. I don't want to hear or see you. I don't want your apologizes or your damn sympathy. I only want you gone." 

            Tears flowed from Deidera's green eyes. She laughed bitterly and nodded. "If that's what you really want, your wish is my command." With a flick of her hair, she spun on her heel and briskly walked away.

*~*~*~*

            Deidera knew the guys were still in the dining room so she decided her only option was to leave through her bedroom window. She wiped her eyes with the back of her hand and unlocked then slid the large window open. She couldn't trust anyone it seemed. Once again, anyone who she cared about either ended up dead, or betrayed her. Family, friends, loves, it didn't matter who they were, they always left her one way or another. It seemed like her only purpose was to be used then discarded like a tissue.

            Deidera climbed through the entrance and crouched down on the ledge. With shaky hands she grasped the sides and inched her way up. She glanced down at the ground and swallowed. As a sailor senshi, she always had a great amount of skills including the ability to jump from high levels and landing without a scratch to her feet. She could only hope that the ability still existed in her. 

            She drew a breath and jumped. If she died, it wouldn't matter. She was alone and no one really cared about her. They would be better off if she were gone anyway. At least the closet thing to a sister that she had ever had felt that way. As she prepared to land, the princess of Janus cursed as the sight of thick bushes came into view. So much for a soundless and painless landing. Deidera screeched in warning and pain and her feet slipped on the damn branches and slid out from under her, forcing her to land on her butt. More branches snapped and scrapped her arms and legs, tearing her dark green shirt in the process. "Shit," she swore as she struggled to sit up. 

            Quickly Deidera scrambled to her feet and took off running before the ex-pilots could rush outside to investigate her ungraceful escape. She had to make a mental note to remember to watch for bushes when running away. Wincing, Deidera ran her fingers against her left arm, knowing it got cut up pretty good, but she didn't care. What was the use of caring for your own well-being when no one else did?

*~*~*~*

            The five Preventers raced away from the dinner table at the sound of a loud crashing noise. Quatre's mansion was usually free of disturbances, so threat or not, it was still an alarm to the five young men. Heero sprinted up to the window and surveyed the surroundings, as Trowa and Wufei ran to the computer room to see if there was any footage captured by the surveillance cameras to explain the unusual commotion. 

            "Maybe it was a cat," Duo suggested, earning a glare from the Perfect Soldier. "Uh, a large cat? Perhaps a tiger?"

            "You and Quatre go upstairs and check on Hotaru and Deidera. Maybe they will be able to give us some answers," Heero ordered. The two nodded and quickly left the room. Heero listened silently for a moment but could not detect any sounds coming from outside. Carefully, he withdrew his gun and walked towards the door. Stealthly he unlocked it and inched it open. Discovering no threat, he stepped outside and headed towards the location of the crash.

*~*~*~*

            "Hey Deidera. Open up. It's Duo," Duo said as he knocked on the door. He waited a moment but received no answer. He withdrew a breath and turned the doorknob. "I hope you aren't changing your clothes or whatever but I warned ya, babe." He took a step in the room but discovered it was empty. "Deidera?" Duo walked further in the room, but found no trace of her. The closet, and even the bathroom were vacant as well. 

            Duo frowned and sat on the bed. "Where are you?" he said aloud. He scratched his head and stood back up then paused as his cobalt blue eyes fell upon the open window. He groaned and walked towards it then stuck his head outside. Looking down he noticed Heero was below and seemed to be kneeling in front of the bushes. 

            "Hey Heero, find anything?" Duo yelled.

            The Perfect Soldier snapped his head up and cursed the loud-mouthed American. "Duo, don't yell."

            "Sorry. So did you find anything?"

            "Yeah. Something large fell onto these bushes. Many of the branches of broken." Heero paused with a piece of dark green fabric caught his eye. Carefully he picked it up and frowned. "I think I found a clue though. What are you doing? I thought I told you and Quatre to check on the two girls."

            Duo cringed. "Yeah, that's just the thing. Deidera is kinda, uh, missing."

            Heero frowned. "Missing?"

            "Yeah, I think she ran away," Duo sighed. 

            Just then Hotaru appeared in the doorway. "Deidera's not stupid enough to do a thing like that." 

            Duo spun around and looked at her. "So now you're defending her. Some friend you are. Only kind to her when she's not even here."

            Hotaru's jaw dropped. "What the hell are you talking about? I don't know who you think you are but what is our business is our business."

            "Yeah, well that business was enough to make her leave. And just so you know, whatever happens to her will be on your head."

            Hotaru glared at Duo and turned on her heel and left. 

            Duo threw a glare at her back then turned his attention to Heero who was still outside. "Hey Heero. I think we should go find her. There's no telling what kinda trouble she could get into. 

            Heero nodded. "Affirmative. We'll leave ASAP. And we're bringing Hotaru with whether she tries to resist or not."

            "Why? Deidera's just gonna piss her off again."

            "Yes, but Hotaru knows her best out of all of us."

            Duo sighed. "Fine. I'll go gather the troops." Quickly he scrambled out of the room. 

*~*~*~*

            The five Preventers and Hotaru gathered into the study to discuss strategies on locating Deidera and fast as possible. They already knew that she and Hotaru were now very hated by Freddy's gang and the fact that Deidera was alone was not in her favor. 

            Quatre cringed as he hung up his cell phone. "Um, Lady Une is very displeased by the fact that she's gone and urges us to find her."

            "A lot of cursing, Q-man?" Duo inquired as the blonde began blushing profusely. Duo chuckled  but then became serious. "Why does Lady Une want them so much?"

            "She didn't say, but apparently, they will be of importance in the near future. How she knows, I have no clue," Quatre replied. 

            "So refusing to find the girl is not an option," Wufei said as he folded his arms in front of his chest.

            "Not unless you want to be demoted to janitorial service."

            The five Preventers flinched at the thought and then returned to their work. 

            "We should probably split into groups of  two or three," Trowa suggested.

            "Right. Any ideas and who should go with who?" Quatre said. The others paused in thought as Hotaru continued to sit quietly on the other side of the room ignoring the entire group.

            Heero cleared his throat. "Quatre, you and Duo, Trowa with Wufei and I go with Hotaru since she seems to be the most unpredictable."

            "Gee, thanks. Talk about me like I'm not even here," Hotaru snorted. "If you split into groups of three, if you run into trouble, you can have at least one person alert the others for aid as the other two try to fight. That way you have all of your bases covered."

            The five ex-gundam pilots blinked at Hotaru's suggestion. Heero stood up and approached the usually quiet girl. "Who are you and how the hell do you even remotely know anything about battle strategies?"

            Hotaru looked up, but retained her cool demeanor. "None of your business but I know what you're thinking and I'm not the enemy. Let's just get Deidera because she something stupid like break and ankle from tripping over an empty beer bottle."

            Heero narrowed his eyes but allowed her to pass as she stood up. "And just how would you form the groups of three?"

            The other ex-pilots watched amazed as Hotaru turned around and smirked. "Simple. Quatre, Wufei, and Trowa in one group and Duo, myself, and you in the other."

            "Why would you chose to do them like that?" Heero crossed his arms.

            Hotaru rolled her eyes. "Easy. Based off how each of you operate, Wufei and Trowa have the fastest reactions but Quatre has the strategizing abilities and can lead them. Trowa is also very stealth and agile. Same goes for Duo but he does get along well with Wufei.  Trowa and Quatre also have enough sense to cool Wufei's temper if it erupts."

            "Hey!" Wufei cut in.

            Hotaru ignored him and continued. "You too also have stealth as do I plus the fact that you don't trust me makes it more than likely that's you'd insist on me being on your team."

            Heero spun around and headed for the door. "Enough banter. Let's go find the girl."

            Duo snickered as he too trailed after Heero along with the others. He knew being in a group consisting of only himself, Hotaru, and Heero, that he would be very entertained indeed.

*~*~*~*

Author's Notes: this chapter did not end up the way I thought it would at all. Never had I envisioned Deidera running away. Sorry if Hotaru seems really bitchy, but she has her reasons, she just needs to come to terms with her loss and grieve rather than push all her emotional sorrow into rage towards Deidera.  


	8. Lost and Found

Tragic Rain Part 8

Lost and Found

By

Sailor Janus

Deidera Doubre quietly walked down the dark street, hugging her slashed arm close. She sniffled softly as salty tears flooded her eyes before flowing freely down her cheeks. She was alone once again to wander the world on her own. The sorrowful sailor senshi couldn't understand why whenever something remotely good happened, that in the end all she had was tragedy.

Rain soon began to fall, emphasizing Deidera's depressed mood. "Perfect," she sighed, turning her face towards the sky. She closed her eyes for a moment, allowing herself to feel the sensation of the water falling upon her skin. "Maybe this time, you'll finish the job," she said tilting her head back down recalling the fact that she and Hotaru could have died from hypothermia if it were not for the Preventers.

Everyone else that she cared about was dead, so why not join them? Perhaps Hotaru was right, they too should have died with the others. Hell, Hotaru was practically a corpse anyway. Even though she may not look it, she was dead at least spiritually, if not completely emotionally. Without realizing it, Deidera began to cry harder. Lately, it seemed like that's all she did was cry.

With a sob she clenched her teeth together and ran as fast as she could until her feet slid out from under her on the slick street. Heavily, she collapsed on her hands and knees and silently cursed everything she could. "Why.... Why.... WHY!" She her shouted, her voice quavering as she began to dissolve into tears once again. Why did she have to get lost taking that stupid short cut as Malice executed each of the senshi, one by one? Why did she have to listen to Setsuna and escape into another dimension with Hotaru? What did she ever do to deserve this much pain and suffering? Was her destiny isolation? Deidera clenched her left hand into a tight fist and pounded it against the concrete. "It's... not....FAIR!"

The soft jingle of metal against metal alerted Deidera that she was no longer alone. Without hesitation she froze, unaware if danger had decided to pay her a visit or if she was merely being paranoid. Footsteps walking towards her soon became more audible as the rain began to slow down.

The burgundy-haired girl lifted her head, half expecting to see Hotaru or a few of the Preventers. What she found instead was not very encouraging, forcing Deidera on the immediate defense.

"Well, well, well. What have we here? A drowned rat?" Freddy chuckled as he gestured for the rest of his gang to check out mess in the road which was Deidera.

With both hands now balled into fists, Deidera tensed her body, watching his eleven lackeys walk up from behind him. Her jade green eyes widened in horror at the realization that her odds were very much against her. Suddenly she felt very cold.

Freddy chuckled. "What's the matter? That bitch of a friend ditch you or something?"

Deidera swallowed thickly. She knew everything was up to her. At the moment however, she wished that she had locked herself in the bathroom back at the mansion rather than run away. 'I'm in so much trouble. Hotaru, anyone, please help me.'

Hotaru pushed her rain drenched hair from her face in frustration. This had to be the most irresponsible thing that Deidera had ever done. If Haruka were still alive, Deidera would probably be grounded until she was fifty. If only she were alive none of this would have happened. Hotaru wouldn't be wandering through the dark rain slicked streets at night with two guys which she was being forced into associating with in a world that was not her own. 'Damn Deidera. If it's not one thing, it's another,' Hotaru angrily thought.

"Any ideas where she might have gone?" Duo inquired but did not receive an answer. He sighed and shook his head. For some reason he didn't seem to have any luck with accompanying social people. Instead both teens continued through the rain with icy looks in their eyes. "Maybe I should have teamed up with Wu-man. At least I wouldn't have to listen to my shoes squeak."

"Duo," Heero said with a warning in his voice.

"Yeah, yeah. I know. Be quiet," Duo nodded as he picked up his braid and squeezed some excess water from it. "Where are we going anyway?"

Hotaru threw a glare in Duo's direction. "Deidera doesn't know this area too well. Neither of us do. She is probably running blindly. More than likely she has stopped by now."

"For your friend's sake, we better find her soon. This area is not the friendliest," the Perfect Soldier said, directing his attention to Hotaru.

The senshi of Saturn mutely nodded. In the back of her mind she feared for Deidera's safety.

The glowing streets lights added no comfort to Wufei as he grumbled in the rain. "I can't believe we're walking in the rain trying to find a stupid girl. She should accept the consequences of her actions alone."

"You try telling that one to Lady Une," Trowa quietly said as he pushed his sopping wet bangs away from his eyes. "She made it very clear that both girls are of importance to us."

"Lucky us and their issues," the Chinese teen muttered with his arms crossed. "I better not catch pneumonia."

"Don't worry, Wufei. The sooner we find Deidera, the sooner we'll be back indoors," Quatre said before he sneezed. "I just hope she's okay. This place isn't the safest to wander around, especially at night."

Wufei ground his teeth together for a moment. "Well, what if she refuses to come with us? Then what?"

"Then we'll take her back to the mansion with any means possible, even if we have to knock her out," Trowa replied.

Wufei threw a look at the tall teen then grumbled, "Baka onna."

Deidera pursed her lips together as she shifted her weight back, planting her palms more firmly on the ground, and prepared to spring to her feet if Freddy and his gang came any closer. If she had learned anything from Haruka it was not to be a victim. She knew being found on her hands and knees was a very bad position since it gave them the advantage height wise. The only thing she could do was ready herself for an attack.

"You haven't answered me, slut. Where's that friend of yours?" Freddy said as he stalked closer, his friends laughed as they too followed.

"She's shopping," Deidera glared. "But I can take a message if it's anything important. Can't guarantee she'll actually _receive_ it."

The blonde teen snickered. "Nah, you'll be more fun to play with," Freddy leered at the fallen girl as he stood over her.

"Like hell!" Deidera roared as she swung her right leg out and kicked in Freddy's knee followed by a back fist to the groin. She then grabbed his shirt before he had a second to react and yanked him to the ground. With agile speed, she spun around and stood before striking another guy with a back fist to his gut who went down with a pained gasp.

Freddy rolled to his side as groaned. "You bitch! GET HER!"

The tall lanky teen which had threatened Deidera earlier cracked his knuckles and grinned. "Gladly."

The senshi of Janus however was not amused. "Do you _really_ want me to kick your ass?"

"I'd like to see you try."

Deidera sighed and rolled her eyes. "You asked for it," she said, throwing a fake punch towards his face then turned around and elbowed him in the face then licked his legs out from under him. Unfortunately as soon as she pivoted on her heels, a firm fist slammed into her stomach as another grabbed her thick hair.

"You're a feisty one," the large red head sneered. 'I like that."

"Let go of my hair!" Deidera gasped as she tried to recover from the blow.

"Or you'll do what?"

"THIS!" The teenaged girl shouted as she struck the boy in the groan with her knee before slamming the palm of her hand into his chin, snapping his head back. "Idiot. What did you think I'd do? Cry?!"

Suddenly Deidera froze as a gunshot went off. Her eyes widened in horror as she turned to face Freddy who had a gun pointed in her direction.

"So, think you can dodge bullets?" he chuckled darkly, cocking the gun sharply.

Hotaru stopped dead in her tracks at the sound of a gun firing. The two Preventers also halted and listened carefully. Questions concerning the whereabouts of the shoot as well as Deidera's whereabouts echoed in the heads.

"Where did that come from?" Duo inquired, frowning at the sky.

"Wherever it is, it can't be good," Heero replied, as he gripped his gun hidden in his jacket.

Duo nodded. "But you don't suppose it's the same place Deidera is, is it?"

Hotaru narrowed her eyes as she stared straight ahead as if trying to sense out something. "More than likely, yes."

"You two really did get into trouble out here didn'tcha."

"It wasn't intentional, but yes we did." The senshi of Saturn closed her eyes briefly. After a moment they flew open. "We need to go this way," she said, indicating towards a long row of alleys. "It's shortest way to locate her."

It was Heero's turn to be suspicious now. "How do you know?"

"Simple. The pattern of the echo of the gunshot indicates it had to travel a ways out and since it was fairly soft, that suggests that it was either very far away or that the sound waves had to travel through solid matter such as buildings."

Duo blinked in shock. "How the hell do you come up with stuff like that?"

Heero sharply nodded. "Alright. Let's go."

Hotaru and Heero headed off as Duo watched them then sighed. "Why can't I be around people who at least TRY to act human rather than like machines? I swear the _Gundams_ were even more human than these two..."

"You coming, Duo?" The Perfect Soldier asked without glancing over his shoulder.

His fellow comrade sighed and folded his arms behind his head as he started off after them. "Yeah, yeah, I'm coming."

The air suddenly seemed colder as Deidera stared in horror at the .35 Magnum in Freddy's hand. She bit her lip as she fought the urge to transform right then and there into Sailor Janus and be done with the moronic gang. 'It's not a youma. They're only humans. Stupid, but humans nonetheless.' Instead she took a deep breath and stood very still, preparing to move at any given second.

It was at that moment that Freddy fired again. The bullet flew out of the pistol so fast that Deidera could barely see it. Without a second's of hesitation she quickly dodged in the opposite direction towards the left, barely escaping the speeding bullet which met its end in the side of a building.

The gang leader laughed. "So you really do know how to dodge bullets. But lets see just how quick your reflexes are," he smirked before firing the gun once again followed by another shot a few seconds later aimed towards Deidera's legs.

The sailor senshi leapt to the right and ducked into a roll missing the first one. Unfortunately the second one managed to graze her side. "SHIT!" she yelped, landing on her hands and knees to the ground. Deidera bit back a scream as she felt the asphalt tear away at the skin on her palms.

"Did the little girl hurt herself?" one of the other guys mocked as he strutted towards her.

Deidera winced as she picked her left hand off the ground and curled it into a fist. She sucked in a sharp breath, ignoring the pain emitting from her knees, now newly exposed thanks to her harsh landing. 'Haruka would not be pleased with me,' the teenager bitterly thought, knowing damn well that she lost her winning streak.

Two more members of the mangy teen's gang were now headed Deidera's way. "Looks like Freddy declawed the kitty," a dark haired guy wearing a dirty baseball cap chuckled.

"Yeah. Doesn't have much fight left in her now," the first one agreed.

"Like you're so big, beating up on a girl. Oh, how manly," Deidera spat, glaring coldly in their direction.

Freddy narrowed his eyes at Deidera. "You're going to wish you bit your tongue by the time we're through with you."

Deidera squeezed her eyes shut, wishing the bullet had not missed. Why did she have to dodge it anyway? It wasn't like she had anything to live for. Hotaru hated her guts and the others were dead. Maybe Hotaru was right after all. Perhaps death was the only option they had anymore. It definitely sounded a lot better than the reality they were trapped in.

Just then the sound of a gun firing followed by a cry of pain yanked the sailor senshi back into reality. Using the distraction to her benefit, Deidera swept the legs out from under the two nearest attackers, forcing them on their backs. Without a second's worth of hesitation, she rose to her feet and held a firm stance, staring coldly at Freddy who was clutching a bleeding hand.

"You son of a bitch," He hissed through the pain, towards the shooter.

Deidera blinked and turned her head discovering the dark haired stoic Preventer with a gun in his hand aimed towards Freddy. Hotaru was standing next to him, shooting the gang leader with the harshest glare that Deidera had ever seen on her friend's face. The other Preventer Duo, Deidera believed his name was if she remembered correctly, also had a gun tightly gripped in his hand and seemed to be inching towards her.

Heero remained mute as he narrowed his eyes and fired again, narrowly missing Freddy's left ear.

"Step away from her unless you'd like us to fit you for some piercings.... the hard way," Duo chuckled with a sinister smirk on his face.

Hotaru on the other hand remained very still and silent. It was impossible for Deidera to determine what she was thinking if she even was at all.

"Guess I had more friends than we thought. So fella, what's it going to be? Measly little me which I doubt you'll be able to lay a finger on by my accords and theirs, or saving your sorry ass?"

Freddy threw a glare in Deidera and the Preventers' direction then backed away. "Come on. We'll repay them later."

Another gunshot rang through the air followed by loud cursing on Freddy's behalf as a bullet hit his arm.

"Better get that looked at, dude," Duo said, blowing off his gun. "Don't wanna let it get infected." The braided haired teen smiled wickedly and shoved the gun in his jacket.

Deidera gaped in a stunned silence at him as she considered whether or not it was he who had shot Freddy. If she were to place any bets on meeting the Preventers, all money would have been on Heero, but now, she realized that things were not always what they seemed.

"You okay?"

"Huh?" the burgundy haired girl blinked then looked up, realizing that Duo had asked the question. "Just little scraped up, but nothing major," she choked, wincing a bit from her wounds.

Duo nodded. "Looks like you did some damage yourself. "

"I was fine... until that loser pulled a gun on me. One guy with a gun out of ten guys is not very good odds when you've already hurt yourself."

"Well, you didn't exactly pick the best area to run to either," he shrugged.

"Or the smartest," Hotaru softly said, throwing a look at Deidera.

Deidera however rounded on her with a cool glaze in her eyes. "Why should you even give a damn about what happens to me? It's not like you ever have before so why stoop below your oh so high level?"

"What the hell is wrong with you?" Hotaru blinked in surprise at her comrade.

Deidera snorted. "Oh nothing, except the fact that my best friend is acting like a total bitch!"

Duo and Heero turned their heads in the direction of the girls, unsure of what to expect next as Hotaru glared coldly at the other girl.

"What did you call me?"

"I didn't stutter. You heard exactly what I said," the senshi of Janus hissed, her tone dripping with venom.

Hotaru stared her in shock. "What is wrong with you?"

"Why is it always me? Why is everything my damn fault?" Deidera threw her hands in the air with frustration. "I'm sorry they are all dead. Yes, I am sorry we got there too damn late. Yes, I'm sorry we couldn't save them. And yes, I hate the fact that I feel like such a coward for leaving everything behind." She paused and wiped the tears from her eyes. "And once again, yes, I wish I were also dead but for some twisted reason we can't seem to have our wish so LAY OFF, DEATH CHICK!"

The Senshi Saturn's violet eyes darkened as she took a step forward, growing infuriated with Deidera's confrontation. "Don't you _dare _talk to me that way. No wonder Lord Cacus managed to wrap you around his little finger."

"That was low, Hotaru," Deidera growled as she shoved her drenched hair off her face. "If you think I'm so weak, then let's test your theory. We both know you're the strongest with a little help let's say, but how strong is Hotaru Tomoe by herself?"

"Fine. Then let's find out."

Just then Quatre, Trowa, and Wufei raced towards the group. Each teenager was equally soaked, but only Quatre appeared to be tense about the prospect of the two girls fighting.

"Stop! What would your families think?" Quatre tried to break the two apart, but neither girl would step away.

"Not much since they're dead," Deidera shrugged without removing her focus from Hotaru.

Hotaru gritted her teeth as she narrowed her eyes at her new enemy. "I'm going to kill you!" Quick as lightning, she shoved Quatre away before he even realized what happened and lunged for Deidera who evaded the attack and laughed in her face.

"No, your destruction ass is mine, Firefly," Deidera smirked with regained energy.

"Let's see you try it, Wanderer," Hotaru glowered, circling her like a hunting lioness preparing to attack its prey.

"Firefly? Wanderer? What the hell are they talking about?" Duo said, glancing at the other Preventers in question.

Trowa helped Quatre from the ground and looked at the beginning of the fight with mild interest. "That's what their names mean. Hotaru is Firefly and Deidera is Wanderer."

"Oh." Duo said then looked at the two girls in concern. "Um, why are they acting like this?"

"Remember when Quatre went mad after the death of his father and sister? Same thing. Just without ZERO," Heero explained, refusing to remove his gaze from the two girls in case the fight were to become dangerous to them.

"Actually, Deidera is the one that completely snapped. Hotaru is only retaliating as well as releasing her pent up anger," Trowa commented as Deidera threw a punch at Hotaru, which was immediately blocked.

In a blink of an eye, Hotaru spun on her heel as she went down on one knee, knocking Deidera's feet out from under her.

Deidera in turn hissed at her opponent and swung her legs out then with her weight balanced on her arms, did a brief hand stand, gracefully returning to her feet. "Nice moves. But not good enough," she said before throwing a back kick towards Hotaru's stomach, faking her as she pulled it back towards her body and executed a flip, slamming her feet into the dark haired girl's solarplex. However as she went down, Hotaru grabbed Deidera's legs, forcing her down as well.

Duo winced at the fact that Deidera had landed on her head but was surprised as she fought back by kicking her feet, hitting Hotaru in the face with her boot then sat up and lunged at her. "I've seen cat fights but this is ridiculous!"

"I'M GOING TO KILL YOU!" Deidera landed on top of the slightly dazed girl who glared coldly at her.

"Not if I kill you first," Hotaru then grabbed a handful of burgundy curls and yanked hard.

The enraged long haired girl shrieked in pain then clawed at her former best friend's face. "LET GO OF MY FUCKING HAIR!" Quickly she turned her head and bit the arm of the hand that had a tight grip of her hair.

Hotaru screamed and yanked her arm away, tearing out the chunk of hair she was clutching. She hissed as she looked at the deep teeth marks in her arm, half expecting it to start bleeding. "You, bitch." Then she threw a punch, landing her fist square in Deidera's jaw.

Quatre's eyes widened at the swear words and how hateful the two teenaged girls were acting. "This is not good."

Wufei snorted and rolled his eyes. "This is disgusting. Don't they know that killing each other won't solve anything either?"

"Since when did YOU become the voice of reason," Duo questioned raising his eyebrows at the Chinese Preventer.

Heero scoffed. "I was considering the same question." He then paused as a shining object in Hotaru's hand caught his eye. "We need to separate them. Now."

Duo blinked then gaped at the pocketknife, which Hotaru must have found on the street. "Oh great. NOW we're dealing with homicidal girls!"

"Wufei, Duo, you take Deidera. Trowa, help me with Hotaru, and Quatre, try to talk some sense into them. This has gone on too long," Heero said through gritted teeth as he approached the two struggling girls.

The other Preventers nodded and slowly edged toward the fight scene, watching both girls cautiously.

Deidera snorted in Hotaru's face as she glanced at the knife. "So, who are you gonna use that on? Me or maybe yourself so you can join the others where you have been wanting to go all this time. Self-centered bitch. You only care about you. You this, you that. In fact, you make yourself miserable and probably do it on purpose so you'll actually have a personality!"

"Right. Just like you drive everyone away on purpose. Everyone leaves because they hate your guts. Worthless, brainless tramp. You probably don't even know what a personality is," Hotaru sneered back, holding the knife menacingly as she stared into Deidera's jade green eyes.

"I'd say plunge the blade into your heart but you don't even have one!" Hot tears ran down the jade green eyed girl's face. Her grip on Hotaru's throat however did not release nor did it tighten. "You know nothing." A bitter smile spread across her lips. "Why don't we just do each other in and be done with it? We're not supposed to be here anyway, why fight it?"

Hotaru's face tightened then without warning she shoved Deidera off her sending her sprawling backwards towards Duo and Wufei who nearly tripped over her. Once they recovered, they grabbed Deidera by the arms holding her at bay.

Heero and Trowa immediately leapt towards Hotaru, knocked the knife from her hand, and tried to pin her to the ground but weren't quick enough as her left elbow hit Heero in the face and her foot shoved Trowa to the ground. Heero drew his hand to his right eye and swore. Hotaru rose to her feet and glared in Deidera's direction. "We're not done."

"I agree," Deidera said through gritted teeth. She smirked slightly then did a back flip, propelling herself over her captors and slammed her feet into their backs. Both boys went down and once again, she was on her feet preparing to attack Hotaru once again.

Duo lifted himself from the ground and caught in her a bear hug. "Calm down, babe. There is no reason for you two to kill each other."

"Sorry, but you're wrong," Deidera then smashed the back of her head into Duo's face then elbowed him in the gut forcing him to release her.

"She hit me!" He yelled then growled angrily as he clutched his bleeding nose. "Damnit," he muttered watching Deidera run towards Hotaru.

Quatre then jumped between the two with his hands held up. "You two are friends and friends don't fight each other! Please stop this!"

Neither girl listened as they shoved him out of the way, knocking him to the ground. Quatre fell hard, slamming his head on the cement.

Heero and Trowa then proceeded towards the two girls and gave Duo and Wufei who were also back on their feet a nod. Suddenly the guys sprung on the enraged females, pinning their arms to their sides as they forced them to their knees.

"Now what? We can't hold them for long?" Duo grumbled as the rain began to pick up once again. Both girls furiously fought against the Preventers who struggled to restrain them.

Suddenly, the sound of a gunshot made the entire group of teens freeze. Seven heads turned in the direction and found a woman with long brown hair holding an umbrella in one hand and a gun pointed to the sky in the other. She wore a dark blue trench coat and looked rather annoyed as she focused her attention on them. "That's enough."

Quatre got on his feet, and coughed loudly. "Lady Une. You're here," he sputtered, looking gratefully at her.

The others relaxed as they realized that she meant no harm. The boys however tightened their grips on the girls even though they weren't struggling. They didn't want to take any chances.

"Help them up," Lady Une ordered. Without missing a beat she addressed the two females personally. "And you two, stay where you are. You should be ashamed of yourselves for displaying such unnecessary hatred."

"But-" Deidera began as Duo and Wufei begrudgingly pulled her to her feet.

"Silence. I don't want to hear it. If you're going to work for me, you need to show some self control." Lady Une waited until both girls were standing and gestured for the Preventers to give them some space. "Now, I want you two to separate for a week or so and perhaps your tempers will finally cool down."

Hotaru and Deidera exchanged glances but did not say a word. Both were still furious and hurt with the one another. Quickly they looked away, refusing to make eye contact again.

"That's the best plan yet," Duo said, holding his bleeding nose once again.

Heero glowered at Hotaru through his left eye trying to ignore the throbbing pain in his right one. More than likely it was swollen and would probably turn black and blue come morning. "Agreed."

Deidera looked down feeling guilty, and rubbed the area on her head that once had hair. She threw a glare in Hotaru's direction but flinched when she noticed the claw marks on her face and the bite mark on her arm. She then moved her jaw and winced in pain from the blow she took there. Perhaps she and Hotaru went a little overboard.

"Now that's settled, all of you go back home and we'll have a meeting concerning the turn of events in the morning," Lady Une said as she turned on her heel. "And one more thing. Anymore unnecessary fighting will lead to detainment."

Heero growled as he followed Lady Une out of the alley. Things seemed to be going from bad to worse lately. The others trailed behind, each as silent as the Perfect Soldier.

As they walked, Deidera tried to look apologetically at Duo, but he refused to look at her, his hand still pressed to his nose that finally stopped bleeding. She sighed deeply and turned her attention to her shoes as they continued on their way home. Somehow, she had a feeling that things would be rough come morning.

Author's Notes: Well, that was..... intense. Anyway I FINALLY updated so, YAY! Hopefully the next update won't take as long..... damn writer's wall.


	9. Silence

Tragic Rain Part 9

Silence

By

Sailor Janus

The dry and warm mansion was a nice welcome to the rain soaked teens as they walked inside in silence. Neither girl looked at the other. Instead they stood on opposite sides of the room and waited for the others to decide on who would be moved to the other wing.

Quatre gave them a small smile then cleared his throat. "After much debate, we believe that perhaps it'd be best if Hotaru goes to the other wing."

Hotaru threw a glare to Deidera, annoyed at the fact that she'd have to once again tear off another set of bed curtains, and sheets.

"And after that last, um, argument you two had," Quatre began as Duo and Wufei scoffed at the term he chose to substitute the word fight. "That it'd be best if some of us were parted as well to be sure that neither of you have any run ins."

"What?! You mean I'm going to have to move just because these two have a grudge that they can't get over?" Wufei growled, throwing his hands in the air then followed with a string of Chinese that neither Deidera nor Hotaru could understand.

Quatre winced. "It's for the best, Wufei."

"It doesn't mean I have to like it, Winner."

"Wufei. Shut up," Duo narrowed his eyes at the Chinese teen with a look of agitation. "No one wants to hear you squawk about justice and injustice."

"Maxwell," Wufei hissed vehemently.

"Chang." Duo said in warning.

Heero then pulled out his gun and ended the building fight before it could even start. "Both of you stop. We have another matter to take care of."

Duo and Wufei exchanged looks then backed off.

"Okay, staying in the west wing with Deidera with be Trowa and Duo. Heero, and Wufei, since you have the least stuff, you two will go to the east wing with Hotaru."

"Great. I get to be stuck in the same wing with a psychopath," Duo dryly said. "It's my lucky day."

Deidera flinched but refused to respond as she started for the stairs. "It's okay. I'll just lock myself in my room so you won't even have to see my face."

"Duo! That was really uncalled for," Quatre scolded, but the L2 teen merely shrugged.

"Hey, she did it to herself." Duo sighed then shook his head. "There is absolutely no excuse for the way she has been acting. Absolutely not."

Hotaru threw a punch at the American teen, landing her fist square in his jaw. "You have no idea." She pursed her lips as she glowered at him.

Duo blinked as he pressed his hand to his face and frowned. Why was he the lucky one to be pummeled? "Look lady, I know what I am saying and neither of you have an excuse for what you two did. It's completely inexcusable."

The other Preventers stood on the edge, wondering exactly what Hotaru was going to do now. She had already punched Duo once. It seemed unlikely she'd hesitate to do it again. Heero and Trowa both inched closer, preparing to grab her if she tried to harm Duo any worse than a punch whether it was deserved or not.

Hotaru dropped her head and closed her eyes. "Little do you know.... about any of us." Without another word she turned on her heel and walked down the east wing.

"Drama much?" Wufei shook his head in Hotaru's direction. "I knew this was a bad idea."

Duo snorted then stalked towards the kitchen. "I need some ice then I'm going to bed. Might want to do the same, Heero. Your eye is starting to blacken thanks to that girl."

"I'll be fine," Heero replied, knowing damn well that Duo was right but would not acknowledge it openly.

Quatre sighed heavily. "I'm going to my room to work out a schedule so Deidera and Hotaru won't have any run ins."

"Don't over do it, Quatre. They'll calm down eventually," Trowa said, to his saddened friend.

"Yes, but their friendship may not even have a chance of surviving by then. It seems like they used to be close until whatever tragic event occurred. It's heartbreaking."

"Try not to think about it. It's up to them whether they want to salvage that relationship or not," Trowa said quietly.

"Trowa is right. Hotaru and Deidera have a long road ahead of them. Whether it will be together or apart is up to them alone. There is nothing we can say either way," Heero nodded then he too started towards the west wing.

"Heero, where are you going?" Quatre inquired, as the dark haired teen left the diminishing group.

"Work." Then he disappeared from sight down the hall.

Trowa and Quatre exchanged glances as Wufei too, departed. They didn't know whether the new additions would bring the group closer together or pull them apart. From the looks of it, it may be a battle either way. Silently, the two remaining Preventers parted ways with the hope that everyone would come out stronger in the end.

The soft ticking of the antique brass clock seemed distant in the still bedroom. Deidera sat curled up on the floor leaning against the bed. Tears slipped from her jade green eyes, flowing down the sides of her face, chin and neck, meeting the end of their journey on her shirt and the plush carpet. More than anything she wanted to scream at the top of her lungs and cry forever. She felt so trapped, as if the bedroom was nothing more than an elaborately decorated cage. She couldn't run because there was no place to run to. Not to mention it was evident that she'd be tracked down in no time like an escaped animal. So instead she cried hoping that perhaps she could drown in the salty tears.

It was funny how being in a mansion full of people could make a person feel like the last human being on Earth. Not that she had a friend in the world. Hotaru still hated her, probably worse than before. The guys didn't seem very fond of her and the only one that had given her any relative attention seemed to hate her guts.

"I'm such a damn screw up. Why did I fight Hotaru? What is wrong with me? Maybe I should just disappear someplace where no one could find me. No one cares anyway. No has ever given a damn about me." Deidera pushed a clump of frizzy curls from her face then gripped them tightly. "No one cares, so why should I? I don't care anymore. I don't. I might as well just admit that I'm cursed."

Deidera laughed lightly as she lifted her head. After all, why should she care when no one else did? The last people to give a damn about her were now dead. It seemed the smart ones that survived always cut ties. If that was the way it had to be, so be it. Deidera wiped her face off then lifted her eyes to a mirror and whispered goodbye.

The pale blue paint of walls seemed blurred as Duo pressed the ice bag to his jaw heading towards his room. The melody of the raindrops tapping upon the windowpanes did nothing to ease his rage. He couldn't believe Hotaru had the nerve to punch him and state that he had no idea what they had been through. As an orphaned street urchin during a brutal war, he had a damn good idea. He had seen so many loved ones die that he could not nor wouldn't cry anymore.

"They think I don't know how it feels. Ha," Duo grumbled, stomping off towards his room to seek sanctuary in his movie collections.

Suddenly, the sound of shattering glass interrupted his thoughts, causing the teenager to jump at the unexpected sound. "What the hell?" Duo froze, absentmindedly dropping the bag of ice as an eerie silence fell. What ever had broke was large and in the mansion but where? Duo spun around and rushed to a door to investigate, not caring what room he happened to barge into as long as he got his answer.

Just as the knob turned, he realized that he was entering Deidera's room. However before he could take a step back to avoid the girl, something shiny on the floor caught his eye. Without thinking, he knelt down and picked it up then scowled deeply. A simple shard of glass glistened back his reflection. Duo lifted his head then realized there was more glass sprinkled on the floor shining like stars in a clear night sky. He took a few steps further towards the majority of the pile.

'If whatever broke is in Deidera's room, then where is she?' A sick sensation filled his stomach as the question swirled in his head. Duo swallowed thickly and turned towards the bed then forgot to breathe.

Deidera was sitting very still on the floor, covered in fragments from the shattered mirror. Multiple cuts oozed with blood. Her expression was completely vacant and lifeless as she stared at where the remains of the large floor length mirror hung on the wall. An antique brass clock was lying a few feet away, it's face broken, the hands still, as if time itself had stopped and died as well.

Duo felt as though his bones had melted away. As if he weren't really in his body to begin with. "Deidera," he choked, staring at the girl who did not even acknowledge his presence. Duo carefully stepped through the glass and kneeled in front of Deidera and shook her shoulder lightly. "Can you hear me?" He cringed at the cuts and glass, picking a few pieces of the mirror out of her hair and from her clothes. After a moment he checked her pulse and was relieved the find a steady one, which meant hopefully she hadn't lost too much blood.

The ill feeling persisted as panic took over. He had no idea what to do or say even. This wasn't his area of expertise. Duo swallowed hard and shook Deidera gently. "What have you done? Damn it!" He glanced around the room and determined he had to get her to the others and out of that room. With that thought pushing him to move, Duo lifted Deidera off the floor and cradled her in his arms. A shiver ran down his spine when she didn't react even with a flinch.

"GUYS NEED HELP!" Duo sprinted out of the room, ignoring the pieces of glass that were poking against his skin. "BIG EMERGENCY!"

Just as he reached the living room, Quatre and Wufei emerged from the kitchen and the study. "Maxwell, what are you screaming about?" Wufei paused then frowned as he realized that Deidera was in Duo's arms. "What's wrong with her?"

Quatre gasped, as Duo turned around with a look of sheer terror in his cobalt blue eyes. The normally cheerful Preventer shook as if freezing yet, sweat dripping off his face. "Duo, what happened?"

Duo shivered. "I-I don't know. A crash. Broken glass. She-she-she... I don't know what to do!"

At that moment Trowa walked in the room, and halted at the tone of Duo's voice. One glance at Deidera forced him to take the incentive. "Wufei, get a sheet. Since she still has glass on her, we don't need anyone else to get cut. Quatre, if you could get the first aid kit and contact Lady Une, I'll get Heero and Hotaru."

The two Preventers nodded then took action to complete their individually assigned task, as Duo stood helplessly frozen in the middle of the room. Deidera was just as unresponsive as when he had first found her.

Soon thudding of footsteps echoed down the eastern hall at a frantic pace. A split second later, Hotaru emerged from the shadows, her violet eyes intense with worry and confusion. "What the hell happened?"

Duo opened his mouth to speak as Heero joined them, but paused, noticing a long cut dripping with blood on Hotaru's arm and that her sleeve was rolled up. "What happened to you?"

Hotaru frowned and looked down at her arm then quickly yanked the sleeve back down with a silent curse. "It's not important. What happened to Deidera?"

Heero threw Hotaru a look, but refrained from questioning her. After all, it seemed she wasn't the main concern at the moment. "Duo, sit down before you collapse," he said, gesturing to the couch.

"Right," Duo said shakily, nearly falling into the plush cushions.

"Has she improved at all?" Trowa inquired as Wufei walked back in the room with a sheet. He helped the Chinese Preventer spread it out then turned to Duo. "Try laying her on down, but be careful about the glass."

"Glass?!" Hotaru exclaimed, looking horrified at Deidera as the Duo and Trowa carefully set her comrade down.

"Glass. Glass. Everywhere.... Too much..." Duo stammered, collapsing to the floor next Deidera, his eyes were incredibly wide as he shook worse than before.

"Shit. Wufei, get some water for Duo. He's going into shock," Heero snapped then turned his attention back to the terrified ex-pilot. "Duo, snap out of it!"

Hotaru curled her left hand into a fist and tightened it, forcing her fingernails into her skin. She wanted to feel the pain. She needed to feel the pain and by God she deserved it. She deserved punishment by the harshest degree. At that moment sound disappeared as the Preventers rushed around tending to Deidera and Duo who looked like he had better days. An instant later, everything went fuzzy.

Heero spun around as Hotaru hit the floor. He stared in disbelief for a moment before cursing under his breath and ran to check on her.

Wufei blinked and glanced around the room. "They're really dropping like flies. What the hell is going on?" He frowned at Heero who seemed to be stumbling as though he were fighting something internally. "Yuy?" Wufei never got an answer as the Perfect Soldier fell a few feet away from the others, completely passed out.

Deidera looked around at the gray atmosphere confused and frightened. She couldn't remember how she got there or what had happened before hand. All she knew was that she was alone in the foggiest place she had ever seen.

"Did I die or something?" she said out loud as she wandered around. An icy breeze whipped through her hair as a spray of water ran across her face. Deidera blinked and looked up as more cold pelts of water showered upon her. "Rain? But I can't even see any clouds or a sky for that matter. Where am I?" She wrapped her arms around herself and continued on.

The wind grew violent, hissing and shrieking menacingly as it grew darker and the rain fell heavier. Deidera picked up her pace, a foreboding sensation filled her body. Something didn't feel right about the limbo she seemed to be trapped in. She debated transforming into Sailor Janus but thought better of it. Best to use it as a last resort in case she did get into trouble. Deidera shivered as the shrieks from the wind became ear piercing. Without a second thought, she took off running.

"What the hell?" Duo muttered as he spun in a circle looking at the clouds of nothing he was enveloped in. "Either Quatre is getting ready for Halloween early or I've been taken some place else." He took a few steps and squinted, trying to find someone, anyone that could tell him where he was and how to get home. "Hello? Anyone there? If this is a prank, I'm not laughing. Heero? Trowa? Wufei? Quatre? Deidera? Hotaru? Anyone?"

Duo frowned and pondered if this was what death was like: a great big nothing. No sky, no ground, no anything for that matter. He was completely alone, and that was never a good omen.

With a sigh, Duo dropped his head and began walking. Someone had to have some answers and he was going to make them tell him how the hell to get out of there if it wasn't the last thing he did.

Just as he took another step however, the floor came out from under him, sending the lone Preventer falling into nothingness.

Hotaru drew a breath as she opened her eyes and looked around. It was evident that she was no longer in the mansion, but how she got to wherever she was now, she had no clue. Still, the fact that smoke was billowing around her in ghostly wisps was not exactly promising. "Deidera, did you send us someplace again?" Hotaru wanted a moment but received no answer. "Deidera? Answer me!"

The smoke became thicker as she waited. "I wish Setsuna were here or even Deidera. At least someone could tell me where the hell I am." Hotaru ran a hand through her dark hair as she contemplated what to do. Transforming into Sailor Saturn may not be the best idea because if there was an enemy watching her, they would realize how strong she really was and that would greatly disadvantage her. Instead she should seek out someone to aid her.

Suddenly a crackle of black lightening illuminated the sky, startling Hotaru as she looked up. It was completely white, like a crisp sheet of paper. A shiver ran down her spine and she wrapped her arms around herself. Wherever she was, was not very welcoming. If only she knew how she got there in the first place.

Another streak of lightening lit up the sky as the wind picked up violently. The temperature seemed to drop as it shoved against Hotaru's body. She bent down, trying to protect herself but it only grew stronger. "What's going on? Is it an enemy?!"

Unfortunately she never received an answer as the breeze lifted her off the ground and threw her into the darkness.

Heero narrowed his dark blue eyes at his void-like surroundings. Something had to have happened to send him here, especially since he could not figure out where here was. It seemed unlikely that he was dead, given the surreal appearance. But the question still remained. How did he get there and where exactly was he? The last thing he could recall was being in Quatre's mansion. Doing what however, was a complete blank at the moment, but still it was irrelevant. Someone else had to be there.

"Is anyone there?" Heero reached into his pocket, instinctively, but his gun was no longer there. He frowned and gritted his teeth. Something was very wrong about this place. In silence the Preventer stood his ground. If someone brought him there, then they should come around to check that he was indeed still there.

After nearly a half hour however, Heero was still alone in the billowing fog. He silently cursed and stalked off, in hopes of finding a way out. He glanced up for a moment and frowned as the sky darkened. Defenseless, he stopped and looked up. For some reason he had a feeling that he was no longer on Earth.

The clouds became pitch black, threatening to swallow him whole leaving the Perfect Soldier only one option, to run. Without a second thought he sprinted as fast as he could, but it was no use, the clouds caught up to Heero, and engulfed him.

Author's Notes: This story is not going anywhere I expected it to, but with that uniqueness, I think I like it better.

For some reason this story has been easier to write than the others, but don't worry more updates will come soon so keep an eye out.


	10. Through the Looking Glass

Tragic Rain Part 10  
Through the Looking Glass  
By  
Sailor Janus

The sun shone brightly as Deidera walked down the street. She couldn't remember ever being this cheerful before. It was such a good day. She had tons of friends, was the smartest girl in her class, and even had a cute boyfriend. Life was good.

"Hey, Deidera!" A pretty dark haired girl said from across the street as she rode her bike.

The cheerful girl waved back. "Hello!" She giggled a bit and swept her long curls behind one ear. 'It's such a nice day out. I hope Ryo calls.'

A little further down the street, she could see a tall white house, standing boldly in the warm sunlight. It seemed to magically glow. Deidera grinned and sped up her pace.

"Mom, I'm home!" Deidera took off her shoes and threw her backpack down by the door.

"How was school today?" A woman crying a sleeping infant inquired. She had burgundy curls cascading around her face and a pleasant yet tired smile on her face. She kissed her daughter on the forehead and shifted the baby gently in her arms.

"It was wonderful! I got great marks for my poetry and my teacher wants to put it in the school's literary magazine. I'm going to be published!"

Mrs. Doubre laughed. 'Well, dear just remember it's not the big leagues, but it is a start." She walked into the kitchen with her daughter trailing after her. "What else happened today?"

Deidera pulled open the refrigerator and grabbed a bottle of juice. "Well, you know that big math test?"

"Yes. The one you've been studying so hard for?"

The teenager nodded slowly, her smile fading and she blinked a few times as if she were about to burst into tears. "Yeah, well…. I kinda….. aced it."

Her mother gaze her a look and shook her head. "Deidera! You really had me going. I thought you were going to say you flunked it." She hugged her daughter nonetheless and sat down. "You know if writing doesn't work out, there is always acting."

Deidera laughed. Just then the phone rang and a blush covered the girl's face. "Um, I'll get it. It's probably Ryo."

"Okay, just don't take too long. Your father with be home soon and you know how he likes everyone at the dinner table."

"I know. Love you, Mom!"

"Love you too, my heart."

Deidera sprinted out of the kitchen and raced upstairs intercepting the phone as she entered her room. "Hello?"

"Hey, Did you miss me?"

"We just saw each other a half hour ago." Deidera sat on her bed and glanced around her room. It looked perfect. Life was perfect. Here she was happy and loved and… The teenaged girl froze. It was too perfect.

"Deidera?"

The phone slipped from her grasp completely forgotten. The teenager rose to her feet and looked around. There were pictures of friends, her parents, ribbons and awards. Everything was so bright and cheery. "This isn't real…. THIS ISN'T REAL!" She fell to her knees and started sobbing.

She knew her parents were dead and that she was an outcast. Somehow something or someone was trying to trap her into a fantasy world, but they wouldn't succeed. More than anything she felt violated. The pain was more intense than a thousand knives stabbing into her flesh or her heart being physically ripped out.

Suddenly her beautiful bedroom dissolved into thick nothingness. A storm raged above her and rain once again began to fall.

Duo found himself wandering down a fairly vacant street. The sky was overcast and appeared as though it were about to rain. He frowned in confusion as to how he had actually gotten there and spun around only to nearly collide into a teenaged girl with burgundy curls and jade green eyes. He stepped back in shock and apologized profusely. "Sorry, I didn't see you there." He paused a moment and realized that she looked rather familiar. "Deidera?"

The girl however, didn't respond and continued walking with a melancholy look on her face.

The boy shook his head and chased after her. "Hey, I'm sorry about earlier but do you know where we are because I well, don't."

Deidera didn't stop or even look at him. She tugged slightly at her patchwork skirt in shades of black red, cream, and gray. Her black shirt she wore with it looked rather old and faded. Her black boots were scuffed and appeared rather thin. She cradled her books in her arms as her long curls fluttered across her forlorn face.

"Hey! I'm talking to you! Go ahead and ignore me!" Duo went to kick a rock, but his shoe went right through it. He immediately froze and gaped in horror. Quickly he snaked a hand out to Deidera, but she too passed right through him. "Am…. Am I dead!" Just as he attempted to ponder the idea, he heard shouts from afar.

"Hey, Depressa. Are you going to cry again tomorrow?" A tall dark haired boy mocked, laughing in her face.

The poet said nothing however and instead ran the rest of the way home. Duo hesitated, but followed nonetheless, throwing a cold glare at the boy as he passed. After all, if she's the only one he recognized then perhaps he'd be able to figure out how to get out of the strange place if he stuck with her.

Deidera's face fell even more as she entered the old apartment. The place was musty and cold. She shivered and rubbed her arms as she closed the door behind her.

"Where have you been?"

"School, Ma'am. We had an assembly-"

"You were supposed to have been home twenty minutes ago!" The graying woman scowled at her niece and shook her head and sighed. "I have put up with the likes of you far too long. You are disrespectful, unintelligent and you dress like a tramp."

Deidera looked down at her feet. "I made this skirt."

The woman glared at the girl, reached down and ripped it to the point that it barely covered her knees. "Well, it's flimsy and looks hideous on you. Go get changed and do the dishes and you better not do a lousy job or no dinner for you."

The girl only nodded and hurried off to her room without saying a word.

* * *

Duo wanted to yell at the woman, but knew it wouldn't do any good so he raced after the girl. What he found startled him. Deidera was curled up in a ball crying her eyes out. 

"Mom, Dad, Grandpa, Uncle Lee, why did you have to leave me? I hate it here! No one loves me. No one cares about me. I keep getting thrown from one place to another…" Deidera wiped her eyes and scowled at her skirt.

The teenaged boy spun around as the girl took the skirt off and replaced it with a bland navy blue skirt and a dingy white blouse.

Deidera looked at her reflection and glowered. She then took a deep breath and departed from the room.

"Man, this is what she had to go through? Poor kid." The gundam pilot shook his head when a sudden crash sounded from the kitchen. He immediately sprinted from the room only to find Deidera's aunt yelling at the girl holding a broken plate in her hand.

"What the hell do you think you're doing? I'm not made of money but you have to be a klutz and break one of my dishes!" The outraged woman screamed as Deidera slowly backed away.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to…. It just slipped." The teenaged girl shook with fear taking small steps backwards at a time. Her eyes glistened, but the tears had yet to fall as she wrung her hands nervously. "I'll be more careful…. I promise!"

"You better or you'll go hungry." The woman in her fury threw the broken plate at the girl who screamed as it hit the wall directly behind her. Deidera collapsed to the ground and clutched at her head. She gasped and immediately moved her hand away, pulling out a sharp chunk of the plate.

"I-I've been cut…."

Her aunt however snorted and turned on her heel. "Serves you right. Clean this mess up and go to your room. I don't want to see you for the rest of the night." Her niece however didn't move as she stared at the blood on her hand in bewilderment. The woman hissed and grabbed Deidera by the wrist and hauled her up harshly, nearly snapping the girl's elbow in the process. "CLEAN IT UP!"

The burgundy haired girl cried out as she was thrust against the wall then ducked as the broom and dust pan were thrown in her direction, narrowing missing her head. Quickly she picked them up, and began to frantically sweep up the broken china.

"Deidera," Duo started but knew she couldn't hear him. He wished he could comfort her, but he was no better than a ghost. "Okay, this isn't my memory…. Did I get sucked into Deidera's head or something?"

He paced the room and began yelling, "DEIDERA! WAKE UP! THIS IS THE PAST NOT THE PRESENT! WAKE UP!"

The room flickered and rumbled for a moment and suddenly, Duo found himself falling through a sea of strange images and color and light whizzed past him.

* * *

The room felt cool and damp and Hotaru laid face first on the starchy sheets in her room. The dim light was a welcome to the blazing hot sun of the outdoors. Her short dark hair felt damp against her pale skin. Her back and head ached, but that unfortunately, was normal. It was a miracle that she was still alive despite how sickly she was. 

"Hotaru? Are you asleep?"

She lifted her head and smiled at the white haired man with glasses. "Not really, Daddy. Just resting."

"How was school?"

The young teenager made a face. "Okay, I guess. The other kids don't really like me, but I guess I'm getting used to it."

"I see. Don't worry, if they can't see how good of a person you really are, then they wouldn't be good friends anyway."

Hotaru sighed. "I just don't like it here."

"You'll get used to it. Don't worry."

She nodded dully and looked at her hands. So fragile and pale. She was like a china doll and would probably break just as easily. Why was she cursed with this existence? It didn't seem fair. Hotaru returned her gaze to her father and smiled. "You're probably right, Daddy."

"Good, girl." He patted her on the head then left the room.

The dark haired girl wondered if she would ever be able to run without passing out. It was such a small thing to other people, but to her it was huge. She sighed and leaned her head back down.

_"You know he's wrong."_

Hotaru sat up and gasped at the eerie voice that seemed to be mocking her. "Who's there?" The voice however laughed.

_"Foolish, girl. You can't see me. You'll never see me."_

"Then what do you want?"

"_Your body of course: in order to put your useless exist to some use."_

The dark haired girl's eyes narrowed. "No, you can't have it! This is my body so go away!" The voice once again laughed.

"_Poor dear. You really have no choice in the matter. You have already been chosen. Its only time, but you will cease to be and I will take over."_

"NO! I won't let you." Hotaru cringed as pain flooded her body, coursing through her chest, abdomen, and back.

_"You see? You are too weak to handle that body. But soon it will be strong and able once again when I'm in control."_

Something snapped in Hotaru and she suddenly knew exactly who was speaking to her. Fear dissolved in rage at the realization and the teenager urged for the voice to have a human form so she could ring the bitch's neck. "Mistress 9. I don't know how you came back but get the hell out of my head before I hunt you down and use you for a practice dummy for my glaive!"

_"So, little Saturn is awake after all. Pity. She always was a whiny little brat."_

"And you always were a self-serving egotistical bitch," Hotaru narrowed her violet eyes with contempt. "Now go away before I force you out!"

_You think idle threats scare me? You fool. I am more powerful than you in this state and in any state of mind, and body._

The teenaged girl began glowing with a vibrant violet light. "GET. OUT!" Once Mistress 9's voice had vanished, Hotaru collapsed on the bed. Sweat poured off of her brow as exhaustion took over. She pondered why she had always been tormented. It didn't seem fair. No matter how hard she tried, she somehow ended up with her back against the wall.

Something in the back of her mind however, told her this was wrong. It almost felt like a dream but not. After all, she didn't know about Sailor Saturn or Mistress 9 until after she had met the other Sailor Senshi. _The other Sailor Senshi… _Images of the fight against Malice entered her head as each death replayed again. The sound of shattering glass echoed throughout the darkened room as a breeze rushed past her, swirling around her.

"This isn't my reality. I'm not a sick child anymore. Dad is dead just like the others…." Lightening flashed through her eyes as stood up. "I don't know whoever you are that is keeping me here but let me out NOW!"

A blinding white light erupted in the room, blinding her as everything melted around the Senshi of Saturn.

* * *

The sky seemed rather gray and dull as Heero trailed down the street. There was something odd about it, but he couldn't quite put his finger on it. Instead he kept his mind focused on his whereabouts. 

In the distance he could see a black hearse drive steadily through the streets the otherwise vacant streets. The Perfect Soldier stared at it for a moment then decided to investigate.

It took several minutes but Heero finally found himself in front of large rust covered iron gates of what appeared to be a cemetery. There was something about it that seemed to draw him nearer. Without a second thought, he vaulted over the gate and landed soundlessly on the other side. He moved quietly through the grounds until he came to a couple of grave diggers discussing their latest job.

"Poor sap. Who knew he was going to kill himself in the end?" The short balding man snorted as he scratched his nose between shoveling.

"Yeah, well, it happens. I'm surprised they just didn't want to dump his carcass in the river or a dumpster or something. No one even came to his funeral," The tall potbellied man shook his head.

The other man shook his head and they continued digging as Heero watched in silence. It seemed like hours had passed when a soft voice entered the Perfect Soldier's ears, slightly startling him.

"Hello."

He turned his head and looked down at a little blonde haired girl clothed in a white dress with a wide brimmed hat. She smiled sweetly at him.

Heero however stared in horror. There was something very strikingly familiar about his new companion.

"Don't you know it's rude not to say anything when someone greets you?" She sighed and played with her long pony tail.

"Do I know you?"

"How could you not? You only killed me and Mary those many years ago. Don't tell me you don't remember."

The Perfect Soldier gasped as his mind flashed back to the day he had killed an apartment full of innocent civilians after a mobile suit had fallen on them. "It was an accident. I didn't mean to kill anyone…"

The little girl snorted. "Isn't it a little late for that you horrible person! My life was cut short because of your stupid mistake! I hate you!" Angry tears streamed down her pale face as she balled up her hands into a pair of tiny fists. "How could you?"

Heero backed away from the small girl, shock and disbelief etched on his face. "I-I didn't mean to. I'm sorry-"

"SORRY? YOU'RE SORRY?" The little girl balled her hands into two tiny fists. "Like that is going to make everything all better. You're just a cold-blooded killer! But oh, you will get yours in the end Heero Yuy." A malicious smirk curved on her lips as she gestured towards the freshly dug grave. "Sooner than you may think."

Heero slowly turned his head and started as the grave diggers dropped the casket by mistake. The impact forced the marred wooden box open and out the body of a dark haired young man tumbled out. He could feel his mouth run dry as he stepped closer only to discover that the body was his own. "No. It can't be."

"But it is. Just a few days ago you had put that gun of yours to good use and blew your brains out. No one cared of course. They _all_ knew it was coming." She smiled with a light sigh. "I can finally rest in peace knowing that your corpse will rot for all of eternity."

The Perfect Soldier shook his head, unable to remove his eyes from his own dead body. "That's not true. None of this is. I'm not dead. I can't be. I don't know who you think you are but you're nothing but a liar and I child who lies is a sad thing indeed."

"Even sadder than a child that was trained to kill? You should have never existed."

Heero broke out of his stupor and glared deadly at the girl. "And you are a fake. You're not the same girl I accidentally killed. I don't know who or what you are, but release me from this place before I get angry."

"Oooh, I'm shaking in my dress shoes," the little girl mocked. "You do realize there is no way out."

"If there is a way in, then there is a way out." He spun on his heel and marched up to the body the two men were struggling to cram back in the box. Heero knelt down and grabbed the white dress shirt, and shook the corpse. "WAKE UP!"

Suddenly a loud explosion shook the ground as the colors drained and swirled into one big whirlwind of light, sweeping Heero into the center of it.

* * *

Deidera's jade green eyes fluttered open and she groaned against the blinding white light. She moved her head slightly and frowned at the warm touch of something under her. Her eyes shot open again and she gasped at the sight of her makeshift pillow, Duo, passed out on the floor. A blush crept onto her cheeks and she quickly scrambled away. 

"Watch it, Deidera. You nearly kicked me," Hotaru growled at her feet.

Just then, the American teen finally stirred and opened his eyes. "That was some intense dream." He sat up then paused. "Then again, it looks like its still going and I can't seem to wake up from it."

Hotaru glanced around the void they were sitting in and frowned. "Where are we and where is everyone? I'd half expect Heero to be here too." Abruptly, she her question was answered as the Perfect Soldier fell from the sky and roughly landed on her. "GET OFF ME!"

Heero grunted and picked himself off then narrowed his eyes at the lack of scenery. "What is going on?"

"We were wondering the same thing, Heero. It's like we're all having the same dream or nightmare or something but can't wake up," Duo said as he scratched the back of his head. "It's really weird."

Deidera blinked. "You mean you all dreamed of a perfect life?"

"No. I was reliving the past," the dark haired girl dropped her gaze to her hands.

Duo swallowed thickly as he looked at the burgundy haired girl uneasily. "And I saw what I guess could be your past."

"I saw a fake future." Heero said emotionlessly.

"My past? But how would you know about my past?" Deidera studied Duo in confusion. "Are you sure it was my past?"

"If you have a scar on the top of your head concealed by your braid from a broken plate then yes."

"How…What… This-this…. What the hell?"

Duo shrugged innocently. "I don't know either, but I'm sorry. I guess maybe we all had it rough."

"You don't know half of it," Hotaru grumbled under her breath.

"So where are we, how did we get here and why are we here other than to annoying the living shit out of us?" Deidera twisted a strand of hair around her finger. "I really don't like this. Something feels really bad."

"Don't know, but it might be best to try to stick together and hopefully we can get out of here alive," The braided haired teen said.

"What if we see something we couldn't such as each other's pasts or something. Then what do we do?" Hotaru looked at each of her companions, silently pleading none of them would see something about her that she wished to remain concealed.

"We'll have to trust each other right? I mean we are kinda stuck in this together. There's no room to judge, not if we want to survive whatever is happening." Deidera sighed and ran a hand down her face. "I just wish I knew why."

The four teens came to an agreement as they each pondered what would occur next. Anything could result in them becoming closer, or tearing them further apart.

* * *

Author's Notes: This is getting really weird. I'm not too sure where this is going and it's kind of writing itself. It just got stuck in different sections. Deidera's and Duo's had pretty much wrote itself. Hotaru's and Heero's however got stuck badly, but finally moved. Hopefully the Writer's Block will have lessened now. 

I hope you enjoyed, my birthday to all of you!


	11. Haze

Tragic Rain Part 11  
Haze  
By  
Sailor Janus

Deidera squinted through the darkness as her footsteps echoed behind her. Suddenly a flash of bright light filled the room temporarily blinding her. She threw her hands to her face as she cried out in pain.

Once her eyes adjusted to the harsh light, she glanced around her surroundings and gasped in surprise at the large machine in the middle of what appeared to be a warehouse.

"Hey, Howard. How's my buddy?" A familiar voice called out from the shadows.

An old man wearing a Hawaiian shirt and sunglasses walked up to the machine and scanned it carefully. "Looks like the boys did well on the repairs. It looks good as new if not better."

"Great!" The figure stepped out of the shadows revealing a teenaged boy dressed all in black with a long chestnut brown braid of hair trailing down his back from below a black cap.

Deidera gaped in shock as she recognized the youth. "Duo."

The teen however continued approaching the machine and lifted his cap slightly. "Ready to take on Oz again, Deathscythe?"

Deidera ran around the platform to get a better look at the huge mobile suit. "What the hell is that thing?"

Duo grinned at Howard then hopped into the gundam. "Time to bring Oz their date with Death."

"Death?" The burgundy haired girl stared in bewilderment as the boy powered up the mobile suit and took off. "Duo! Wait!" She tried to catch his attention, but he was already gone. "He pilots that-that thing? Is that his secret? Who or what is he?"

Lost in her thoughts, Deidera stepped outside and stared in a mix of confusion and awe at the raging battle above her head. Various robot-like machines fought to the death, their target appeared to be Duo's Gundam who interestingly enough wielded a scythe, gracefully taking down his enemies with one swipe after another. "What is going on here?"

The girl however never received an answer as the large black mobile suit came crash down towards her. She screamed in terror, frozen from her growing fear and suddenly, everything went white.

* * *

Duo scowled at the dark cloudy sky and shook his head. He hated days like this. They always seemed to depress him.

A glow of light from a house in the distance seemed to beckon him closer. Without a second thought he made his descent towards the house.

Duo's blue eyes narrowed at the sight of the door, which sat slightly ajar. Cautiously he pushed it open and took a step inside. "Hello? Anyone here?"

He swallowed thickly and crept further into the house. Suddenly the sound of gunshots rang in his ears. Duo immediately threw himself to the floor and cringed as a few more rounds followed. Frantically he searched the room and found a narrow broom closet. Quickly he ducked inside and softly shut the door, sealing himself in. 'Since when have I turned into a coward?' he angrily thought to him. Nevertheless, he stayed silent as loud footsteps raced past him and his sanctuary.

After what seemed like hours, he quietly slipped out of the tiny closet and rather than leave the house, he headed further into it as if the knowledge of what had happened was the determination of life or death.

Images of bad horror films flashed through Duo's mind as he made his way up the squeaky set of stairs. He swallowed thickly and headed towards the door directly in front of him. He froze for a moment then pushed it open and nearly passed out. The sight before him made him want to be sick and cry at the same time. Lying lifelessly on the floor were the bloody corpses of his fellow Gundam pilots, each of which had been executed and shot repeatedly to death.

"What the hell?" His cobalt blue eyes well with tears of disbelief as he stared down at their mutilated forms. He ground his hands into fists and bit back a scream of anguish. Just as he had turned to leave however, he was met with the sneering cold-hearted gaze of a gunman before he fired.

* * *

Hotaru frowned at the sight of Rei's temple. It had seemed like forever since she last saw it and yet, it seemed like it was just yesterday. An ear piercing scream shook her from her contemplative stupor and before she realized it, she was running at a full sprint inside. What she saw next froze her blood cold.

The dead bodies of the other sailor senshi lay crumpled on the floor, hacked to death as formally white gloves now stained red held a glaive firmly in her grasp. Hotaru's own face turned towards her with a malicious smile. "I guess I lost control after all and so will you."

Suddenly the temple began to shake and shudder as a large metallic foot came down just inches from where the doppelganger stood. The temple crashed around them to reveal a large robotic like machine with its rifle aimed towards them.

An eerily familiar voice rang through the air, "I will kill you."

Hotaru's violet eyes widened in alarm as she stared up into the large mechanical device's glowing green eyes. "It… can't be…."

The doppelganger smirked at the stunned sailor senshi and leaned forward on the staff of her glaive. "Gee, now who is the real killer you or Mr. Dark and Deadly up there? He is kind of cute. Too bad I'll have to kill him."

"Killer? I never killed anyone and he…"

"You can destroy worlds with a few simple words. He on the other hand…. is a lot more than he seems. I can't believe how dense you are to have never gotten that. In fact all five of those guys that rescued you are killers."

"That's impossible. They couldn't have-"

"Wake up, Saturn. You have no right to be alive. You should have died with the other senshi."

Hotaru flinched at the coolness of the words that she had previously agreed with. She drew in a breath and lifted her chin. "There is a reason why I survived and I am determined to full it to my last dying breath. Until then I will search for the answer even if I must duel with Death himself."

"Foolish girl-" the doppelganger started to mock when suddenly Hotaru began to glow with energy and summoned her glaive, holding the point to her mirror image's throat.

"I am through with this silly dream. Even if what you said was true about Heero, and the others, that is for me to decide." The senshi lowered her staff and closed her eyes willing herself to escape from the dream.

* * *

Heero scowled as he stared at the large building as it began to glow with energy. There was something about it that was drawing him towards it. Armed with only his wits, he stalked closer.

Just then a violet colored light burst to life as the building seemed to explode. Without another though he took off at top speed and raced into the building.

'Is this a school?' Heero thought as he glanced at the rooms surrounding the corridors as he continued running. As he turned a corner, the floor came out from under him as he fell threw a large hole.

Groaning the Perfect Soldier lifted his head and froze at the sight of a woman with extremely long dark hair facing off with a blonde haired teenaged girl. "What's going on?"

Suddenly the dark haired woman screamed as the black star on her forehead shattered as a strange symbol appeared in its place. The scream grew louder as she began to dissolve into nothing. Heero rose to his feet unsure of what to make of what he had just seen. As he glanced around the ruined room he realized a large mass of evil feeling energy from in side a gel like substance was increasing in size. He didn't know what it was but knew it wouldn't be good. The blonde haired girl seemed too upset as she continued crying to be of much help.

Just as Heero was about to test his luck on the thing, a bright light filled the room as a dark haired teenaged girl wearing a white and purple sailor outfit. She looked up as she held up one gloved hand, a glaive suddenly materialized in her grasp. A mysterious smile crossed her lips and suddenly Heero knew exactly who she was. Hotaru.

"Saturn, you can't fight alone. Let me help you," the blonde urged as tears tricked down her cheeks.

Sailor Saturn smiled. "I'm afraid I cannot let you do that. I and I alone must finish this. It is my duty, Sailor Moon."

"But-" Sailor Moon began when suddenly she found herself facing the sharp end of the other girl's glaive.

"Goodbye." Without another word the violet glad Sailor Senshi did and back flip into the gel like vortex which emitted with evil energy. Cries echoed throughout the room and an explosion threw a speculative Heero backwards and into a wall.

* * *

_"If they go through any more episodes like that, it may kill them."_

_"How was I to know that she was going to go off the deep end and drag everyone down with her? Hotaru I can understand, but why the two young men?"_

_"….. I don't know. There must be something that we're not remembering… a lot of things we aren't remembering. Regardless, they can't continue on like this."_

_"But what about… There's still something I'm really uneasy about. I don't feel as strong as I did before. What if it's because of the change of dimensions?"_

_"Dimensions should have nothing to do with it. If what's going on is what I suspect it is, those guys better be as strong if not stronger than they look."_

_"Why do I have a bad feel that the weaker we get the stronger they get? Why do they still even exist? I thought that problem was taken care of, at least in your case."_

_"Nothing is as simple as it seems. However the sooner they wake up, the better."_

_"Ready when you are…"_

* * *

"Ugh, my head is killing me!" Deidera pressed a hand to the side of her head as she sat up groaning in pain.

"Hey! You're awake!" Quatre smiled in relief as he moved towards Deidera. "So, how do you feel?"

"Like I got hit in the head with a brick house. What happened?"

"You don't remember?"

She lowered her hand and blinked in confusion. "No, why? Did something happen?"

"Anyone get the number of that fleet of buses that ran over me?"

"Duo!"

Deidera scrambled to stand up but fell over. She winced as her head continued to pulse then covered her eyes with an arm. "How long have we been out? It feels like a week."

Trowa frowned as Duo struggled to sit up. "Only a few minutes. What happened?"

The braided haired teen opened his mouth to answer when sudden coughing interrupted him. He turned his head and discovered that Hotaru was finally stirring. Her violet eyes opened briefly then squeezed shut as she began coughing again.

"Hotaru? Is that you? Are you okay?"

"Deidera?" The dark girl choked as she pushed herself to a sitting position and shoved her thick hair from her face. "What happened?"

"That's what everyone keeps asking me but I don't know."

Heero groaned a short distance from where Hotaru sat and scowled at the room as though sensing that something wasn't right.

Wufei entered the room and came to a halt. "So you're all awake. Why did exactly did all four of you pass out?"

Quatre exchanged glances with Trowa and Wufei, his blue eyes wide and filled with concern. Something was very wrong. "You don't remember…anything? This isn't good."

"What is going on and WHY WON'T MY HEAD STOP HURTING?" Deidera pounded her fists on the floor as rage and frustration filled her voice.

As everyone looked at her, she flushed and clapped a hand over her mouth.

"Oh God, I think I'm gonna be sick…." She immediately stumbled to her feet and raced out of the room. Duo collapsed on his back, feeling completely drained.

"Did someone drug us or something? I don't feel so good either," he grumbled.

Hotaru stared at her shaky hand and drew in a breath. Something was very wrong.

"Hotaru?"

Her head snapped up and she realized that it was Heero talking to her. "I don't know what's going on but I have a bad feeling about it. And once Deidera is done being sick she as well as you, Duo, and I need to talk."

Silently he nodded in agreement, speculating the same questions racing through her mind.

* * *

Author's notes: I apologize for having not updated this as well as some of my other stories. I have been working on them on and off but I guess one of a major problems was that towards the last several chapters that had been written, I was involved with someone and let's just say that things ended up going so badly that I had to end it…. And it took awhile for them to get the idea. But after a recent review I realized how much I really miss Deidera and the others and that I refuse to give up on anything so I do plan on finishing all my stories, I just need to pick up the pieces and get on with it.

The two nameless speakers do have a part to play and you may even have an idea who they might be. It was just something that popped up in my head.

I hope you enjoyed the newest installment.


	12. Missing Memories and Hidden Secrets

Tragic Rain Part 12  
Missing Memories and Secrets  
By  
Sailor Janus

Deidera wiped her mouth with the back of her bandaged hand. Sweat ran down her forehead and stung her eyes. Exhausted, she say back on her butt, pushing away from the toilet in disgust; the queasy sensation still lingered. She coughed a few times; choking on a sob. She hated vomiting. It wrenched at her stomach and made her want to cry.

_What's wrong with me?_ She furiously thought wadding up the tissue in her hand. The only logical answer she could come up with was that it was the flu and a really bad headache. A loud yet gentle knock on the bathroom door broke her from confusion. She hesitated a moment before giving a reply. _How long have I been in here anyway?_

"Hey, uh you okay in there?" Duo's voice questioned on the other side. "Heero suggested that I come and check on you."

"Uh," Deidera stumbled up to her feet and gave the bowl a quick glance to make certain that it was clean. She dove into her pockets in search of gum and quickly shoved her remaining piece in her mouth. Just because she had to suffer didn't mean that others had to as well from the rank aftermath.

Duo jump back as the door swung open and the disheveled burgundy hared girl stepped out. She glanced at him then gave what resembled a tiny smile as she paused in the doorway.

"Sorry."

"No, I-" He frowned as he a scent caught his attention. "Winter Fresh?"

Deidera winced and shoved a curly strand of hair from her face as she tried to edge past him. She lowered her head before replying in a small barely audible voice, "I got sick."

Duo hesitated as pink tinted her pale cheeks. He reached out and grabbed her arm, then blinked as though unsure why he chose to. "Didn't mean to embarrass you. It's okay. It happens to everyone. As long as it's not on me or my bed it's not a problem." He gave her an encouraging grin which slowly faded as her green eyes began to glisten with unshed tears.

"I think I have the flu or something. I'm sorry. I better go and…" She chewed on her lip and froze as she glanced from one end of the hallway to the next. A whimper escaped her throat as she wrapped her arms around herself and began to shiver.

"Are you okay?"

"I don't know where to go. The floor in my room is covered in glass… not sure how it got there. And well, actually it's not even my room but it's the room you guys put me in. I just feel like an emotional basketcase right now so if you don't mind I think I'll find somewhere to go even though I don't know where that is. Maybe I can just stay here or something. Although it's kind of cold out here and suddenly I'm freezing though I don't know why and now I'm crying because I don't know what I'm doing. I just keep babbling on and on and on and…damn it." Deidera found herself suddenly at a lost for words and instead sank to the floor and drew her knees to her chest as she hid her face in them.

Duo stared at her in complete confusion and bewilderment. She was clearly upset but how to help even if he could, was a huge question that he simply did not know the answer to. "Um, don't know, but it's okay. There's a ton of rooms here. I'm sure it'll be a piece of cake to find you another unoccupied one."

"You guys have done enough for us. I'll be fine. I just…" she sniffled and used the wall to help push herself to her shaky feet.

"Duo, how long does it take to deliver a simple mess-" Heero began as he walked in their direction then stopped as he took in Deidera's appearance. She was much too pale, almost as white as the wall she was braced against. Her long curly hair looked limp and dull, and shook terribly as she trembled. "You're not well."

"Gee, what was your first clue?" the young woman sucked in a breath, gave a pained chuckle and wrapped her arms around herself. "Sorry. I hate being sick."

"No one likes being sick," Duo said sympathetically.

"So, where's Hotaru? I would have thought that she would have checked up as well."

Heero shifted his gaze to Duo as he answered, "She seems to be ill as well. Different symptoms though."

"What?" Deidera nearly lost her balance but caught herself on the doorjamb. "What's wrong with her? Are you two okay? Is anyone else sick?"

"She's been having coughing fits and seems to have chest pain." He then addressed the darkly clothed pilot carefully. "Are you feeling alright?"

A grin spread across the braided haired teen's face as he folded his hands behind his head then paused. The cheerful expression faded as he caught Heero's eye. "Still a bit disoriented, slight shakiness, but it's nothing compared to Deidera and Hotaru from the sounds of it. You?"

"The same symptoms aside from the shakiness but with a mild headache."

"So I guess we should all be quarantined, huh." Deidera mumbled as she pushed off from the wall only to lose her balance. Duo moved to catch her, but as he did so, his legs gave out and they both collapsed to the floor.

"Ugh, that didn't go the way I planned," he grumbled as he stared at the ceiling. Almost as if pained he lifted a hand to his face and closed his eyes. "Why do I feel so weak?"

Deidera rolled over and groaned as she buried her face in the carpet. "What is wrong with us?"

"That's what I want to know," a drained sounding voice said from behind them.

"Hotaru?" the burgundy haired girl lifted her head at her fellow senshi who was leaning heavily against the wall.

The dark haired girl's glassy eyes, half hidden by bangs, closed briefly as she clutched a fist to her chest. Her pale skin was nearly translucent and sickly. She drew a sharp breath and held it a moment as though trying to fight off whatever ailed her. "I'll… be alright."

"Yeah right," Deidra scoffed, still lying helplessly on the floor. Her eyes flicked to the bandage poking through the arm of Hotaru's shirt then away again. "You look like death warmed over in a toaster oven. Frozen French fries have more color than you do."

Duo winced as he covered his mouth with a hand. "Please don't mention food. I'm starting to feel queasy."

"Sorry."

"But seriously. What the hell is wrong with us? As much as I hate to say it, maybe we should see a doc."

Hotaru shivered. "I'm note sure if that would do us any good. Something must have happened when we passed out."

Heero eyed her as he nodded slowly. "The question is what? And why only us."

"Maybe we were exposed to some radio active chemicals and our insides are disintegrating as we speak," Duo chuckled darkly which abruptly became a curse as Deidera burst into tears. "I was just kidding!"

"But what if we are dying?" She hiccupped as she rubbed at her wet eyes. "My head literally feels like it could explode. Maybe it actually will. It would definitely make headlines."

"Deidera, don't be silly. Your head is not going to explode," Hotaru groaned as she slid down the wall to the floor coughing heavily.

"How do you know? People can spontaneously combust!"

"Because it's just ridiculous."

"I'll bet those people thought the same exact thing until poof! There's nothing left but clumps of charred flesh…. Ugh why did I have to say that?" Deidera crumpled into a ball clutching at her stomach. _"Pain, pain go away, and don't come again another day…_ Oh crap_."_

Without another word, the burgundy haired girl bolted her feet, scrambling for the bathroom.

Duo cringed, his own stomach turning, knowing exactly why she had to reach the bathroom so urgently. He hoped that he wouldn't need to do the same thing she did.

"Damn it." Hotaru coughed several more times, clutching her chest tightly. "Something is not right."

"Maybe it's just mono. I mean I haven't kissed anyone but you can get it other ways." He flicked his braid off his shoulder, took a shallow breath, and groaned. "I think my money is still on being drugged."

Heero narrowed his eyes and shook his head. "Somehow I don't think it's that simple."

"I agree," Deidera slumped to the ground then half heartedly flipped her hair out of her face. She paused a moment as if regaining her breath then crawled to the dark haired girl. "Hotaru. We need to talk. Now."

"Please don't try to kill each other again. I don't even have enough energy to lift my pinkie," Duo grumbled. "Maybe we should start taking vitamins."

Deidera grabbed Hotaru's left arm, turned her wrist over and pushed the sleeve up revealing the bandage. She growled softly, knowing exactly what had happened to the senshi of Saturn who know avoided her gaze. "You're at it again. Damn it, Hotaru. Why are you even considering abusing your abilities at a time like this?"

"Not for the same reason why you broke the mirror if that's what you're referring to. When I say something is not right, I am dead serious." She stared coolly into Deidera's green eyes as she yanked her sleeve further up. Before anyone could say a thing, Hotaru sliced her fingernail into a fresher wound to force the blood to flow a new. Satisfied, she closed her eyes and hovered her hand over the cut then moved it away. The blood continued to drip down her arm towards the older injury.

"What the hell… you two are crazy!" Duo gaped as Deidera jumped back in horror with barely a squeak.

"Oh my God. Oh my God...What does this mean?" She pressed a hand to her mouth, her eyes wide with terror. They began to flood as another thought hit her. "Maybe we really are dying. Either that or you really did abuse your ability too much so it was somehow taken away."

"What is going on? You cut?" Heero frowned at Hotaru who glared back at him.

"It's much more serious than that. We just don't know how serious." She turned back to the panicking Deidera. "Calm down and think."

"I don't know! I'm scared! We're all alone in this strange place and everyone else is dead. You have lost your ability to heal and me, I can't come up with a poem to save my sorry ass! Setsuna could have probably helped but well…" She sobbed loudly as she buried her face in her hands.

"You idiot! Shut up!"

The two Preventers however and heard every single word. And were giving the two girls looks, which said that they had a lot of explaining to do.

"Talk." Heero said in a monotone as his drew out a gun. "And don't leave any details out."

Deidera winced. "Oh shit. Me and my big mouth." She and Hotaru exchanged glances as they debating on where exactly to begin.

*~*~*~*

Author's Notes: Finally a new update to this story. Looks like the girls have a lot more explaining to do than they planned on. Will they really tell the boys all the juicy details, or will they leave out a bit here and there? And just what is going on?

In other news if you didn't already know, I have a website for my original series. Hopefully someday they'll be published. That would be a dream come true. And yes, Deidra though the last name and history will be different, is going to be along for the ride. I'll let you know whenever the series will feature her. She appears in the latter years.

If anyone has any questions or comments, please let me know. Though I may not update my fanfiction as much as I used to, I still love talking about it and I hope whenever my series reaches the dream of being published that you'll enjoy it as much if not more. Three series is quite a LOT of work. Though it is nice to bounce around when I get stuck.

I'll share more information once I have it.

Until then…

SJ


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